The Two of Us
by ApocalypseIsNow
Summary: What would happen if Joel and Ellie encountered another person that was immune? Someone that Ellie could relate and be attracted to? Follows the same storyline as the game but with a few tweaks.
1. Chapter 1

The Two of Us-Ch.1

I awoke with a start, hearing the eerie, **_click click click_** of the clickers outside the building. My eyes shot open and I stood, listening for footsteps.

_They must be outside._ I thought as I smoothed my wrinkled clothes, attempting to get comfortable.

I had finally gotten to Boston; it had taken me four whole months of walking to get here all the way from just outside Tallahassee. I was forced to run from my home after a horde of infected stormed the town, murdering most of the inhabitants, including my family. I quietly opened the front door of the dilapidated building I had called home for the last night, being careful not to attract any unwanted attention from clickers and set off to find a way into the city.

I wandered the streets of Boston, looking for the school a woman named "Marlene" was supposed to be. I looked at the scarred bite mark on my hand, a wound that would forever remind me of my past. I was careful to not be spotted, after all I had no ID and I would be dead if any soldiers caught me. I eventually eavesdropped on two men in uniform, although they weren't military and followed them towards what appeared to be the school I was looking for.

I slid through the closing front door as quietly as I could, but ended up running straight into a guard.

"Well well, what do we have here? A kid come to join the fireflies eh?" The guard asked, grabbing my arms and pinning them behind me.

"I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I just need to talk to Marlene." I explained.

"Talk to her you will. Now move!" He ordered, pushing me down the hallway.

I was marched down the hallway, my arms pinned behind my back, expecting the worst from this encounter. The guard forced me through a door near the end of a hallway where a woman stood facing away from us, speaking to a group of three people, a tall, gruff looking older man, a tall, brown haired serious woman, and a cute, redhead girl who looked about my age.

"That's a long ways Marlene." The old man said, folding his thick arms across his chest.

"It'll be worth it, I promise." Marlene responded.

"Ma'am." The guard said, clearing his throat.

"What is it?" Marlene asked sounding very annoyed. "I told you not to bother us"

"I found this kid; he says he was here to talk to you." The guard answered, throwing me to the ground.

Marlene stood with her arms crossed, the group of people behind her stood awkwardly.

"Well spit it out before I throw you out of here myself."

"I was told by a friend that you were trying to find a cure, and well, I think I'm it." I told her, holding up my scarred right hand.

Marlene strode up to me and examined my hand.

"Ellie come here."

The girl nervously stepped towards me and extended her arm. Marlene rolled up her sleeve and revealed a scarred bite mark on her arm.

"Well two of you make better odds. You better leave now though, before night falls." Marlene said, ushering us through the door.

"Well let's get out of here before I change my mind on this job." The old man grunted, leading us out into the streets of Boston.

~~~Joel~~~

"Get the fuck off of her!" Joel yelled, kicking a runner off of Tess.

But Joel was too late. Joel could see the blood flowing from the bite wound on Tess' shoulder.

"Tess I- I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Tess responded. "It's my own damn fault. You have to get these two to Salt Lake. Y'Know that right?"

"Tess I can't do this by myself."

"You won't be, I can see those two have a lot of promise." Tess told him.

"They're coming through the fucking door!" Cameron yelled.

"Now get Tex." Tess said.

"Tess-"

"Now. For me."

~~~Ellie~~~

_Fuck_. She thought, _Why did I go with these two?_

She asked herself, questioning her own judgment. She stared at the two walking in front of her. The hardass old man looked troubled, and the teen next to him seemed troubled and tired. Ellie couldn't help but get lost in blue eyes for a moment.

_God damn._ She thought.

_I guess these two aren't so bad... _She was studying their faces as she trudged along beside them, neither noticing her looking. "

I'm tired. Can we stop?" She asked.

"I swear to god, quit your fucking whining right now or I'll leave." Joel said angrily.

"I'm tired too." The other teen said, she still didn't know his name. "I just got here this morning from Tallahassee." He said.

"Fine, but quit your whining, it's a long ways to Salt Lake City." He grumbled.

They found a house that would work for the night and set up camp.

~~~Me~~~

"So I never got your name." She asked me. I looked at her, puzzled for a moment.

"It's Cameron." I responded studying her face.

"Nice to meet you Cameron, I'm Ellie." She said.

"Pleasure." I said with a smile on my face. I jumped when I heard Joel burst through the door, firewood in his arms.

"You know, it would've been easier if you two got off your asses instead of just staring at each other." He said gruffly. Ellie love looked away from me, color flushed to her cheeks.

"S-sorry." She stammered.

"No it's ok, I'm the one getting paid for this shit anyways." He said sarcastically. He pulled out a can of beans and opened it.

"Bon appetite." He said passing the can around.

_Maybe this guy isn't so bad_. I thought.

_Just need to get used to him._ I told myself.

"Well better get some sleep." Joel said. "Long day tomorrow, and for a long time." He said lying down. "Goodnight." I said to Ellie. "Night." She said sheepishly.

**A/N Welcome to the reupdated version of my story, my previous account was lost, I just hope everyone who was reading this before finds this. When you finish reading this story, check out the sequel, _From Sea to Shining Sea._**


	2. Chapter 2 - Updated

The Two Of Us

Ch.2 - A Lifetime of Stories

**A/N From 300 words to just over a thousand. Updated chapter 2! Also new series up, Cameron's history, if you're interested, check out _The Two of Us - Left Behind_**

~~~Joel~~~

Why did she have to leave me alone with these two? Joel asked himself, still agonizing over Tess's recent death.

Joel dreaded the thought of having to take these two all the way to Salt Lake City by himself, they were slowing him down and in his own opinion, seemed incapable of surviving out here.

Deep down Joel just plain hated having kids around as they brought back all too painful memories.

Joel studied each of them intently, the girl was reclusive and slightly melancholic, while the kid looked on-edge and paranoid. As he watched their movements it became obvious to him that the girl was in no way a fighter, but the kid, who even though Joel regarded him as a kid was large in stature, looked ready to pounce at all times. The way he moved his feet when he walked and the nervous twitch in his right hand gave some hints to a fighting background.

He shook his head as he thought more and more about how bad an idea this trip was. Joel had promised Tess with her dying breath that he would do it for her no matter what, and Joel was a man of his word.

"Alright." He said to them. "We stop here for tonight." He told them. They were just outside a small town and he didn't want to risk going through it at night.

~~~Me~~~

The sensation of traveling with two people I barely knew was quite strange. It had been a long while since I had had anyone to talk to, and I was starting to learn a little bit more about my two companions.

Joel had been mostly quiet since Tess died, but I expected anyone who just lost someone important to them to be solemn and quiet. The girl Ellie, however, was quite the opposite. She was quiet and reclusive at first, but quickly warmed up to our company, even if her constant talking annoyed Joel most of the time. She never stopped asking questions and had no boundaries when it came to asking either, she'd often find herself asking very awkward, very personal questions and receive only a cold, sometimes egregious look from us.

I, however, didn't mind as much as Joel did. Since I had had no companionship in the last month or so. I enjoyed the conversation with Ellie, and over this time I began to notice that she was very cute as well.

"So," I started as Joel lead us inside a house. "You're immune, like me, how'd that happen?"

"I got it doing something stupid, and I lost someone I cared about along the way." Ellie explained.

I shifted back and forth on my feet, unsure what to say next. The next few moments were awkward as I dropped my bag next to a couch and sat down in it with my legs outstretched.

"How'd you get yours?" She asked, motioning to the scar on my hand.

"Running." I told her. "There was a horde outside of our town, I ran home, grabbed my bag, and ran. I wasn't very used to dealing with infected and got bit pretty easily. I also lost some people I cared about then also."

I looked over to her and saw her crying.

"You okay?" I asked nervously and awkwardly, still very unsure of myself.

"Yeah."

I looked at her as she softly cried, her knees drawn up to her face and she slowly rocked back and forth. I reached out and placed my hand on her back, trying in anyway to comfort her. Ellie responded by leaning over into my shoulder and continuing to cry.

Joel walked in at this moment and the only explanation I could offer was an unsure half-shrug and confused look. He got the message though, and quietly backed out, not wanting to get anymore involved then he had to.

I'm not sure how long passed with the two of us oriented like this, but Ellie eventually tired from crying and fell asleep. At this point, I gently moved off the couch and slowly lowered her body down.

I left my backpack on the floor and Ellie on the couch and walked out of the room.

"What was that about?" Joel asked.

"Not sure. She just started crying while we talking." I replied.

"Women..." Joel scoffed.

"It was... Strange."

Joel stood up from his crouched position over his makeshift fire pit, reaching his full height as he turned to face me.

"You look like you can handle yourself nicely. Y'know how to fight?" Joel asked me.

"I made it all the way here from Florida by myself. I can handle myself." I answered.

"But can you fight? Kill?" Joel prodded deeper.

"I know some ways to bring a man down."

"You killed before?"

I licked my lips absentmindedly as Joel asked this, a dark shadow of unwanted memories washed over my mind as I envisioned myself covered in blood that wasn't mine.

"More times than I'd like to admit." I told him.

"With a gun?" Joel continued to ask.

"Some with a gun, others with... Other things."

"And by that you mean...?"

"Anything I could use to beat or stab someone." I answered.

"Well I'm glad I don't have to worry about taking care of your ass all the time then." Joel said, sitting back down.

"Yeah, I guess not."

"I'm worried about the girl," Joel paused. "She seems, I don't know, vulnerable."

"Sounds to me like she just went through some hard losses. She seems like she is pretty tough though." I replied.

"You sure about that?" Joel inquired.

"Absolutely. Her personality and vibes remind me of someone I lost. And she was the strongest person I ever knew." I told the older man.

"I'll have to take your word for it then."

With that we were silent for the rest of our time at the fire, as we were quickly swallowed in the dark expanse of oncoming night.


	3. Chapter 3

The Two of Us-Ch.3-Danger Awaits

~~~Joel~~~

Joel stood in the doorway of the living room, watching the two teens sleep peacefully. He studied Ellie in the silver glow of the night. '_She reminds me of Sarah.' _He immediately shook the thought from his head. _'I can't get attached, it's only a job.'_ He told himself, shaking his head. He couldn't help but feel that he was going to end up a bigger part of the teens lives.

~~~Ellie~~~

"No, no, no." She said panicking, but it was too late. They were on her. She held her gun up and started picking of the infected one by one. '_There's too many of them.'_ She thought, and she was right. They sea of infected converged on her and...

"Ellie!" She heard her name.

"Ellie! Wake up!" Cameron nudged her awake. She picked her head up off of his toned chest.

'Wait I? What?' She thought to herself.

"Ellie," he said. "You were hitting me."

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"Well I see you two lovebirds are finally awake." Joel said with a sneer.

"Joel!" She yelled jumping up from the couch. The idiot just sat there with a stupid smile on his face.

"It's just... I uh... I..." She stuttered, embarrassed.

"I'm just kidding." Joel said. "Now hurry up, we've gotta get going soon." The man tossed the two some granola bars. She ripped the metallic wrapper off and took a bite of the crunchy oats. As they headed out the door. She thought about what happened the previous night.

_'I can't believe I fell asleep on him!' _She thought. 'He does make a good pillow though.' She giggled at the thought and the other two just shook their heads.

"Shit! Get down!" Joel said forcefully as he pushed them to cover behind an old SUV. "Fucking clickers." He said. "Follow my lead, but try to stay quiet for once." He sneered. Ellie just gulped and nodded, it had been a long time since she had fought infected of any kind. The trio silently moved to the backside of the clickers. She cringed as Joel shoved his shiv into the neck of the nearest one, dropping it almost silently. Another turned to face them, but Cameron through his knife at it, and it stuck in the fuckers head with an audible **_THUNK_**!

"Are there any more?" She whispered.

"She I'm listening." Joel stated.

Ellie watched Joel. He held his head up, looking at the sky, carefully judging the quietness around him.

"I think we are good." He told them.

Ellie gave an audible sigh, and she relaxed as the boys retrieved their weapons. She turned her own shiv over in her hands, embarrassed that she just stood around while shit went down.

They continued through the town, only stopping at certain places to check for supplies. In one of the buildings, she found a book that caught her attention. '"_Fifty Shades of Grey"? Sounds interesting enough._' She said to herself, putting it into her bag. She hurried out when Joel said it was time to leave, and they continued on their journey westward.

~~~Me~~~

We got damn lucky when we found that truck. We found it inside a garage in town, and Joel tried hot wiring it, and it worked. _'So much better than walking.'_ I thought. I sat in the back with Ellie, who was reading a new book.

"What are you reading?" I asked as we bounced along the broken highway.

"It's called _Fifty Shades of Grey._" She replied.

"Huh." Joel scoffed. "I think your too young for that book."

"You don't know that." She ridiculed him.

"Ellie, your 14, you shouldn't be reading porn." Joel scolded her.

_'So that's what it was? She was reading about sex?!'_ I thought to myself. My imagination started to run wild.

"Fine." She said sternly, slamming the book closed, and proceeded to stare at trees rushing past.

The next few hours were uneventful, just seeing green and blue got boring after 3 hours of it.

"Joel!" Ellie yelled. "Look out!"

Joel spun the steering wheel, but it was too late, as we slammed into a road block.


	4. Chapter 4

The Two of Us-Ch.4-An Unexpected Surprise

~~~Me~~~

'_Shit_.' I thought as my body slammed into the seat in front of me. I heard the truck door being opened and a man with a pipe in his hand grabbed me by the foot.

"Get the girl too." He snarled. I twisted around and kicked him in the face, causing him to stumble backwards, clutching at his face.

"You're going to regret that." He said angrily, blood dripping from his now crooked nose. I hopped out of the car to face him as he charged, pipe above his head. He swung at me, but I was too quick. I dodged to the side and swept his legs out. He fell to the ground, dropping his pipe. I looked in the car for my knife as he slowly got back up. '_C'mon, it's got to be here somewhere_.' I thought. I found it under the seat and grabbed it as I felt something collide with my ribs. Pain ripped through me as I fell to the ground, clutching at my side. The man stood over me with a wicked smile on his. I took my knife and shoved it into his foot, causing him to howl in pain, jumping backwards as I slowly got up.

He was still hobbling around as I stood up, and I lunged at him, cutting into his throat. His screams were gurgled as he fell to the ground.

"Get the fuck off me!" I heard Ellie yell.

'_Oh no_!' I thought, running to the other side of the truck.

~~~Ellie~~~

She was kicking and thrashing under the man who was holding her down, unable to shake him off.

"Well aren't you just a purrty lil' thing." The man purred. "No wonder they're paying so much for you." He sneered.

"Get the fuck off me!" She screamed.

"Ah, there ain't nothin' your friends can do, we got all taken care of." He said smiling. Rage burned through her but she couldn't get out.

Just then a knife came into view, and hot blood splashed onto her face. "Get off of her!" Cameron yelled, cutting the mans throat. Ellie shrugged his limp off, throwing it too the ground.

"Fuck." Joel said, coming around the front of the car. "You guys ok?" He asked. Blood covered his hands as she shook her head yes.

"All good now." Cameron said. Clutching his side. "My ribs hurt though." He said, his voice pained.

"Ellie you got a little something on your face?" Joel said, worry filling his face.

"I'm fine," she said. "It's that asshole's right there." She said, kicking his lifeless body.

"We should go," Joel said. "Before more of 'em come." She shook her head in agreement. They got off the highway and into the woods, continuing to head west.

Ellie just walked with her head down. '_I could've died._' She scolded herself. She replayed the events over and over in her head, thinking about what she could've done differently. She didn't even notice when Joel had found a place to stay, she kept walking.

"Ellie?" Cameron yelled to her, she turned to face his voice, seeing him and Joel heading towards a house.

She rushed passed them, blowing off there questions. 'I_t is just like when I lost Riley._' She told herself. '_I felt so helpless.'_ She felt tears stream down her face.

She sat, knees drawn up, by herself for the rest of the night, feeling powerless. Cameron sat down beside her.

"Hey." He said. "What's the matter?" He asked, concerned.

"I-I j-just laid there, helpless." She admitted, "I had to wait for someone to help me."

"Aww, it's ok." He said, grabbing one of her hands from her knee. "It's hard to get out from underneath a grown man." She felt him pat her hand gently.

"Thank you." She cried out, shoving her face into his side.

"Ow, Ellie, my ribs." He said pained.

"Sorry." She said, gently pulling away from him. "Let me look at your ribs." She said, rubbing his side.

"Really?" He asked. "I don't think you need to do that." He said.

"Too bad."

"Fine." He huffed, pulling of his shirt. He had a nasty, giant yellow bruise on his side. She gingerly touched the discolored flesh.

"Do they feel broken?" She asked him, worry filled her voice.

"They feel like a bitch." He said, grimacing as she grabbed the medkit and began to wrap his side.

"There, all better." She said, smiling at her handy work.

"Same goes for you." He said, flashing her a smile.

They sat and stared at each other for a long time, studying each other's faces.

"You're beautiful, did you know that?" He told her, brushing his hand over hers, causing her to shudder. She felt herself blush, as he leaned towards her and kissed her on the lips.

"Um, thanks?" She stammered. "Well I think we better get to bed." She said, her body quivering from his kiss. "Goodnight." She said, moving over to where she was sleeping at.

"Goodnight."

As she fell asleep, thoughts of happiness floated through her mind, and her body was electrified. She could still feel her lips tingling as she drifted off.


	5. Chapter 5

The Two of Us- Ch.5 -"Pitt" Stop

~~~Joel~~~

"No, no, no. Un-fucking believable." He said. The highway that lead straight through Pittsburgh was destroyed, and he did not want to have to go through the city.

"Fuck, we will have to go through the city." He said over his shoulder.

"Is that bad?" Ellie asked him.

He chuckled to himself. "Just a little bit."

"Well," Ellie sighed. "Let's get to it." She said walking down the off-ramp, Cameron by her side.

"This won't end good." He mumbled to himself, following the teens down the ramp.

They continued down into the city, sticking to the edge of the streets, hoping not to be spotted. The Pittsburgh QZ had been abandoned by the military years ago, but now something that Joel feared even more occupied the city. Hunters.

"Get down!" Joel said as he caught the flash from a swaying rifle scope in the eye. He dove behind a wall just in time to dodge the bullet.

"Shit!" He heard Cameron yell, as another round tore up the pavement in next to him. Joel unslung his own rifle from his shoulder, carefully lining up his shot. He pulled the trigger and heard a scream as bullet his round tore off a chunk of the shooters neck.

"Fuck! Move!" He heard more of them yell.

"We gotta get out of here, move!" Joel yelled, pushing the couple in front of him. He threw his rifle back over his shoulder, and unholstered his six shooter, sprinting behind the two.

~~~Me~~~

As we rounded the first corner into an alley, we ran straight into two hunters. I whipped out my knife, shoving it straight into the nearest ones chest, Joel shot the other one straight in the face.

"Fuck guys." Ellie said, cringing as we brutally killed the two men.

"In here!" Joel instructed, ducking into a building. We ran through the building back onto another street.

"I think we lost them." Joel said, holstering his pistol. "We should head through there." He said, pointing to a hotel.

"Sounds good." I said, following him into the building, Ellie close behind.

The hotel lobby was almost completely destroyed, the main stairs were crumbled and parts of the walls had collapsed.

"Up through here, I'll boost you up." Joel said, backing up against the wall.

"Roger that." Ellie said, stepping into his hands. I watched her climb up onto the platform.

"Alright partner, your turn." Joel said, motioning to me. I stepped into his hands and pushed off as he stood. I grabbed the edge of the platform, pulling myself up.

"Here." I said, extending my arm down to him.

"You sure you can hold me?" He asked.

"Completely." I answered as he jumped up. I caught his hand and dragged him up until he could grab the ledge.

"Alright, let's keep going." He said continuing towards the stairs. "Shh, get down!" Joel whispered as we reached the top of the stairs, crouching down he peered around the wall. "Shit." He muttered. "Got some hunters through here." He unslung his bow. "Gotta be quiet, don't want the to come running." He said, moving up as the hunters turned the other way. He readied his arrow peaking over his cover, he let the arrow fly, hitting its target with a soft **_THUNK. _**

"Man, and this is boring. You there?" The other said out loud. He turned around just in time to catch the arrow in the face, falling to the floor.

"Move." Joel said, motioning for us to move up. I peered down another hallway, to where the next set of stairs were.

"We're clear." I told him, moving to the stairs, bounding up the steps. The stairs were blocked up to the next floor.

"Through the elevator." Joel said. He grabbed the edges of the doors and slowly pried them apart. "Go." He ordered. We stepped out into the elevator and climbed onto the top of it. The opening to the next floor up was open.

"Here, I'll boost you up." Joel said backing up against the wall. Ellie went up first, then I went. "Alright, my turn." Joel said, jumping up and grabbing my hand, I dragged him up.

"Fuck! They're here!" Ellie yelled, ducking behind a couch as a bullet hit the ground next to me.

"I can pull myself up now." Joel growled. "Get to cover!" He ordered. I crouched behind the same couch as Ellie. "Here!" Joel said, sliding his 9mm across the floor to me. I picked the weapon up, switching the safety off, and gripped the handle. I peeked around the couch, trying to spot the hunters. I raised the gun, firing at the first hunter who popped up from behind his cover, my shot striking him in the chest.

"Move up." I whispered to Ellie, she nodded as I moved to another cover.

"Here." I said, handing her the gun from the dead hunter's body.

"Finally!" She exclaimed, examining the gun.

"Fuck!" I heard Joel yell as he crashed into the elevator.

"Go help him!" I ordered her, pushing her towards the elevator shaft.

~~~Ellie~~~

She ran as fast as she could back to the elevator, bullets whizzing past her. She peered into the shaft and saw Joel being strangled by a hunter. She hopped down onto the elevator and shot the man in the head.

"Whoa." She said. "I shot the hell out of that guy!" She said excitedly.

"We need to get out of here." Joel groaned.

"Really?" Ellie said pissed. "I just saved your fucking life! You can't even be grateful for one fucking second!" She yelled at him.

"Ellie, if you don't mind, your _boyfriend_ is getting the hell shot out of him up there." She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as he said this. She stepped into his hands as he boosted her up. "Get me something to climb on." He told her.

She looked around, unable to find anything for him to climb on. She noticed the couch she had his behind and pushed it down into he elevator shaft. She watched Joel pull himself up onto the landing and move to the nearest cover.

"I think I got 'em all." Cameron said, a smile on his face. "Here's your gun back." Cameron said, handing the pistol back to Joel.

"Ellie, give him yours." Joel said gruffly.

"But...?" She started.

"Now!" He growled.

"Fine!" She said, handing her weapon to the teen. "Save your fucking life and you still can't trust me." She muttered to herself.

"Let's go." Joel said as they exited the hotel onto some scaffolding that lead down to the ground. "We just gotta get to that bridge and we should be outta here." Joel said, pointing to the massive structure not far from here. "But it's almost dark. We should find somewhere to hold out." Joel said, continuing down the road.

"Lead the way." Ellie said annoyed.

~~~Me~~~

I woke up sweating and saw Ellie kneeling next to me. My nightmare faded from my mind as she held my hand between hers, as I finally remembered where I was.

"You ok?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah, I am now." I said, my breathing still ragged. I smiled at her but her face was stern.

"What was it about?" She asked me.

"Oh, um, nothing." I lied.

"Bullshit, I want to know." She said.

"It's a long story." I told her.

"Well, we got a long time, Joel just fell asleep." She said, looking over to where Joel's sleeping form lay.

"It-it was about my bite." I started. "And my parents." I told her. I looked over at her and she nodded for me to continue. "Back before I left, right before I got bit, my old girlfriend had up and left me. So in the morning, I went out for a walk, and there was a horde of those, _things_." I explained. "The only reason we were attacked was because they saw me. My parents died because of me." I said, tears welling up in my eyes as I remembered the day.

"I lost someone I cared for immensely also, my best friend, actually." She started. "I can't help but feel as if it was my fault." Tears came to her eyes, making them sparkle in the dim light.

"Do you want to...?" I started.

"No." She cut me off. I sat up allowing her to sit next to me. She snuggled up next to me on the couch I was on. I could feel her tears wetting my faded jeans. I held her hand as she quietly cried to herself.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to her. She sniffed and looked up at me, tears stained her cheeks. I kissed her on the forehead and she buried her face into my side. Thoughts of the last time Ellie slept so close to me flooded my mind. I just wanted to sit there and hold her forever. I slowly stroked her red hair as her sobbing slowly subsided.

"I'm so sorry." She told me. I gave her a puzzled look. "I'm so selfish." She said softly. "Cameron I..." I silenced her with a kiss. "I think we should get some sleep." I told her. "Big day tomorrow." I said, kissing her again, this time on her nose. I could see a smile on her face as we fell asleep, her head on my chest.

~~~Joel~~~

_Jesus_. Joel thought. _I don't want to be there when __**that**__ happen_s.Hequickly erased the image from his mind, shaking his head. _Kids_. He thought.

"Alright wakey wakey you two, we got things to do other than _sleep_ together." He joked.

"Joel!" Ellie scolded him. He heard Cameron laugh uncomfortably as Ellie's face flushed a shade of pink.

"Seriously though," Joel said. "We can't stay here any longer." He said.

"Well, lead the way then." Ellie said, throwing on her backpack. Joel opened the door and ushered the couple through the door. As they exited the building, Joel looked up at the skyline, the hulking figure of the bridge not to far away.

There was little trouble as the trio made their way to the bridge. Until they got to the bridge and saw all the hunters standing guard around the old checkpoint.

"Shit." Joel swore. "This ain't good." He said, stating the obvious. His mind raced with thoughts, trying to form a plan. One thought stuck out above the rest. _But is that too much for her_? He asked himself. _Better not be._ He thought, making up his mind. He unslung his rifle from his back and pulled the two teens into a building and up a flight of stairs. He handed Ellie the rifle.

"Think you can handle this?" He asked.

"Well I've sort of shot a rifle before." Ellie answered nervously. He gave her a blank stare. "At rats." She said sheepishly.

"Rats." Joel said, somewhat confused.

"Yeah, with BB's." Ellie replied.

"Alright." Joel said, still not quite on the same page as her. "It's the same basic concept." He told her. "'Cept it's gonna kick a lot more than any BB rifle." He instructed her, showing her the proper way to hold the rifle and how to reload it. "Alright, you." He said to Cameron. "With me." Joel walked down the stairs, Cameron at his heels.

"What's the plan boss?" Cameron asked him.

"It's pretty simple, kill them all, get through the gates to the bridge, don't get killed." He answered.

"Easy enough." Cameron said somewhat sarcastically. Joel moved up, he crouched down behind a concrete barrier. He felt Cameron crouching beside him. Both already had their weapons drawn.

"Alright. On my count." Joel said moving up closer, Cameron stayed in his current position. Joel took his bag off his back and pulled out a Molotov, he nodded at Cameron and lit the rag.

Joel peeked over the wall and threw the bottle at a group of hunters in front of the gate. Joel watched the bottle explode and ducked down when he heard the men scream. Joel and exchanged shots with an advancing hunter, effectively dropping him with a single shot.

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie watched the battle from her elevated position. She watched carefully for anyone who got close to Joel or Cameron. So far the boys had taken care of themselves, until she noticed a hunter sneaking up behind Joel. She looked down the sight of Joel's rifle, aiming carefully and pulled the trigger.

**_BAM_**! The shot rang in her ears. She saw her shot hit her target in the chest and he crumpled to the ground. She quickly ducked below the window and loaded another round. She stuck her head above the window sill, looking for danger. Suddenly, the wood next to the window splintered and exploded, raining down to the ground. She ducked back beneath the window, she had seen the muzzle flash of the other gun and knew where the shot had come from. She knew what she had to do, but she had to be quick.

She popped above the sill and quickly fired of 2 rounds and then ducked back down. She didn't know if she had hit her target, so she peeked over the sill to check, and saw the snipers body laying on top of a shipping container. She observed the battle, firing only when necessary. Ellie hit almost every single shot she fired, saving the boys more than once or twice. Soon, the hunters were reduced to only a handful of panicking, terrified men. She watched as one ran from the battle zone, throwing his weapon to the ground and leaving his comrades. Joel and Cameron made quick work of the hunters that remained.

"Alright Ellie, we're clear down here!" Joel yelled up to her. She gave a sigh of relief as she made her way out to the two. "That was some good shootin' Ellie." Joel complimented her.

_Wait_. She thought. _A compliment_?! She was surprised.

"So the grumpy man can be nice sometimes." She replied, teasing him.

"Look," Joel said somewhat annoyed. "I was just trying to thank you."

"Yeah, I don't know if we would've made it without you Ellie." Cameron told her.

"Aw, why thank you boys." She said sarcastically.

"All we needed was a 'you're welcome'." Joel said angrily.

Ellie laughed. "Alright, I'm sorry, you're welcome, and I mean it." She told them. Joel walked up to the gate and pushed it open.

"Well, if you don't mind, I really don't want to stay here any longer." Joel said.

"Let's go then." Ellie responded.

"Oh boy." Joel sighed. "It's a long ways to Jackson." Joel said as the three left Pittsburgh for the last time.


	6. Chapter 6

The Two of Us Ch.6-Family Reunion

~~~~**_Fall_**~~~~

~~~Me~~~

We walked to the end of the highway, a bridge spanned the river that ran parallel to the highway.

"Jackson County, that means we're close to Jackson?" Ellie pointed out.

"Yep, it's just past this dam up here." Joel responded.

"Finally. Maybe we can actually rest for once." I added.

Joel gave a chuckle. "We can get there today if you stop whining. C'mon, the highway is destroyed here, we gotta go along the river." He began walking down the switchbacks to the rivers shore. I looked up and saw the dam, the structure was massive.

"Wow." I said awestruck.

"What do you think it is for?" Ellie questioned.

"That there is a hydroelectric dam." Joel answered. "It makes electricity." He added, avoiding further questions. We made our way up to the dam, the sound of rushing water thundered in my ears. I could feel the mist in my face as we took the stairs to the top. "We'll have to go through the power plant." Joel said, pointing to a complex above the next level of the dam. We crossed a foot bridge that spanned the reservoir behind the the first level of the dam. We approached the doors to the facility, as Joel was about to open the doors, we heard someone yell.

"Stop where you are, hands where I can see 'em." A mans voice called out. We complied. "What's your business here?" The man behind us questioned.

"I'm just lookin' for my brother, Tommy, he told me he lived around here somewhere." Joel told the mystery man.

"Well, that brother'd be right here, Joel." The man said. "Lower the guns boys!" He commanded. I watched Joel turn, and I watched him as his brother walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Hey little brother." Joel said.

"Hey yourself." Tommy said. "Who are these two that you got?" He asked Joel.

"This is Ellie, and Cameron." Joel said, pointing to us respectively. "They are, uh, traveling with me." Joel told him.

"Aren't they a bit young to be around you?" Tommy asked him.

"Hey, ya get used to me." Joel chuckled.

"Let's get outta here." Tommy suggested. "I'm sure y'all are hungry, plus, I got someone I want you to meet, follow me." Tommy said, motioning for us to follow him.

"So." Ellie said as we trudged along behind the brothers. "What food do you think there'll be?" Ellie asked me.

"I don't know, hopefully something besides squirrel and peaches." I told her. I was sick of peaches, and I knew Ellie was too.

"Bleh." She responded, she stuck her tongue out and made a face. We stopped atop a hill that looked out over a town.

"Well, here it is, the wonderful town of Jackson." Tommy said, looking below to the buildings that sprawled out beneath him. He started down the hill and we followed him. We walked through town until we arrived at his house and he opened the front door. "Maria?" Tommy called out.

"What is it?" A woman called backed.

"I got someone I want you to meet." Tommy said, taking Joel further into the house, Ellie and I stayed behind in the living area.

"Whoa, it's so, _clean_ in here!" Ellie said surprised.

"Someone must actually care about keeping things nice for a change." I said, looking around the room. Just then Joel and Tommy came into the room with a blonde woman.

"Oh my god." The woman said.

"Cameron?" She asked.

"Aunt Maria?" I said surprised, recognizing her immediately.


	7. Chapter 7

The Two of Us Ch.7-Monster

A/N The title comes from a song by Skillet, I thought the title fit this chapter. I also put the first verse and chorus throughout.

~~~Me~~~

I stood, dumbstruck, as my aunt gave me a hug.

"What are you doing here? Where's your Mom?" She asked. I pulled out of her embrace, staring down at the floor. "Oh my god!" Maria gasped, covering her mouth. "Is she...?"

"Yes, dead." I cut her off, I heard Maria whimper and fall into a chair, I looked up to see tears streaming down her face.

"Your father, Jeremy?" She sobbed.

"Both of them." I croaked, a lump forming in my throat. Maria cried on the couch, it hurt watching her cry, and soon, I was also crying. Joel exchanged a confused look with Tommy who just shrugged and tried to comfort his wife. I sat on the floor and cried beside Maria.

"Cameron?" Ellie said, touching my shoulder. I didn't look at her, I couldn't. Guilt was ripping me open and I felt sick. Ellie sat beside me and talked to me as I sobbed on the floor.

_The secret side of me_

_I never let you see_

_I keep it caged but I can't control it_

_So stay away from me_

_The beast is ugly_

"Cameron, you need to get up." Ellie said, I had been sitting on the floor for hours, ignoring any, and everyone, I hadn't even looked up through the entirety of my sorrow. "Cameron, Maria wants to talk to you." She said kneeling next to me, she grabbed my arm and drug me to my feet. I stood, shaking, as Ellie held onto my arm and guided me into the kitchen and sat me in a chair.

"Cameron?" I heard Maria ask. "What happened to my sister?"

"It's all my fault." I cried, remembering the events from that morning months ago.

"Was it infected? Or was it bandits?" She questioned me.

"Infected." I told her. "The infected heard me when I was outside and broke through the fence. I lead them right into town." I said, tears staining my face.

"Oh, Cameron." Maria cried. "They would've gotten in eventually." She comforted me. Just then Tommy burst through the doors.

"We're under attack!" He called out. I bolted up and grabbed my gun.

"No." Maria said. "You aren't fighting." She told me.

"I have to." I told her. I had to go, I had to do something.

_I feel the rage and I just can't hold it_

_It's scratching on the walls_

I_n the closet, in the walls_

_It comes awake_

_And I can't control it_

_Hiding under the bed_

_In my body in my head_

_Why won't somebody come and save me from this?_

_Make it end!_

Maria was yelling to me as I ran out the door to follow Tommy. I caught up to Tommy close to the fence.

"Need any help?" I asked Tommy, he jumped in surprise.

"You're supposed to be home with Maria!" He scolded me.

"Well I ain't leaving." I told him, checking my magazine.

"Alright, but I'm not sure how Joel'll like it." He sighed. Suddenly, shots started to be exchanged. "You want to help?!" He yelled to me. I nodded. "Well this is your chance! Move your ass!" He said, dashing through the gate.

~~~Joel~~~

"Son of bitch!" Joel yelled as he slammed a bandits head into the ground. He repeated those same words when he looked up and saw Cameron taking out bandits beside Tommy. "Shit!" Joel said ducking behind a tree as a round whizzed passed his face and as he watched Cameron brutally kill a bandit by ripping his stomach open with his knife.

_I feel it deep within,_

_It's just beneath the skin_

_I must confess that I feel like a monster!_

_I hate what I've become_

_The nightmare's just begun_

_I must confess that I feel like a monster!_

_The kid is brutal. _Joel thought to himself._ He's just like... Me. _He thought, the realization of his words hitting him the face as he stabbed a hunter through the throat. Every time Joel did something brutal, he watched as Cameron did something equally as brutal. For every kill that Joel had, Cameron matched him. Joel couldn't possibly see what had driven the kid to his level of insanity on the battlefield.

_We probably could've done this by ourselves. _Joel thought as he killed another and watched Cameron do the same. Mostly, Tommy'smen just got the way of Joel, many of them did nothing but cower behind cover until the battle was over.

"All clear!" He heard a man up in a tower yell. Joel slowly strolled over to Tommy and Cameron, Tommy looked scared, and he found out why when Cameron turned to him. Joel looked at the teen in front of him, blood covered the entire front of his body and his eyes. Joel saw a wicked look in his eyes, one that he knew only from one other person, it was the same look Joel had after Sarah had died and he had gone on a murderous rampage.

"I think we should head back home." Tommy said, his voice shaking. Joel turned and followed Tommy back into the town, Cameron following behind him. The three were silent as they entered Tommy's house.

"Oh my god!" Maria screamed as the men walked in. "You're all okay!" She cried, hugging Tommy. Ellie walked in and saw Joel and Cameron, Joel saw her look at Cameron and cringe.

"Did you eat them or something?" Ellie asked Cameron sarcastically. Joel chuckled at her remark as he walked into the bathroom to clean the blood off of his hands. As he was washing his hands, he heard Maria start yelling.

"Do you have any idea how idiotic your decision was?!" She yelled. "I don't care what you think! You're all I have left of her." Joel heard her say. Joel exited the bathroom to see what was happening. He saw Maria crying and Cameron storming out of the room.

"Uh, Tommy." Joel said. "Can I talk to you, privately."

"Sure, Ellie, stay here with Maria for a minute." Tommy instructed.


	8. Chapter 8

The Two of Us-Ch.8-Sensations

**This chapter is definitely rated M+, if it isn't your thing, skip it, there isn't too much story in this chapter anyway. Thanks and enjoy!**

~~~Joel~~~

"Absolutely not!" Tommy said angrily.

"Look." Joel started. "You know more about these fireflies than I do, plus, he is your nephew." Joel said.

"He's your family too!" Tommy responded. "Look, you want gear, sure, but I sure as hell taking those two off your hands, they're your fucking responsibility." Tommy told him.

"This is how you thank me?" Joel asked him. "After all those years I took care of us, I kept you alive." Joel said, his voice rising.

"It wasn't worth it." Tommy said, exiting the room.

"Damn it!" Joel said, punching the wall. He got up and stalked out of the room. Tommy, Maria, Ellie, and Cameron were sitting downstairs talking, Cameron had cleaned up, and looked as if Ellie had too. He walked passed them and sat down at the kitchen table. Joel was angry, but he had to control himself, he had to protect those two now, for the sake of the world.

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie sat as close to Cameron as she could, essentially sitting in his lap, holding his hand as Cameron talked with his aunt and uncle. Sadness rippled through her as she realized she had no family left. She shuddered as the thought passed, causing Cameron to give her a quick, curious glance that she dismissed by patting his leg affectionately.

"Maria, uh, there's something I have to tell you, Joel told me." Tommy said nervously. "Them two are immune, that's what Joel said, he said you'd show us?" Tommy said, his gaze shifting to the two.

"It's true." Ellie said, rolling up her sleeve, exposing the scar on her arm. Maria let out an audible gasp as Ellie held out her arm and Cameron turned over his hand.

"This happened months ago." Ellie reassured Maria.

"I-I believe you." Maria said, her voice quivering. "You know, it's been a long day. How 'bout some dinner?" She asked. Ellie felt Cameron perk up at her words.

"That sounds amazing." Cameron said, licking his lips as Tommy and Maria left the room. Ellie then realized just how hungry she was and her stomach growled, causing Cameron to laugh.

"Stop it!" Ellie said, hitting him playfully.

"Ow! Okay okay I'll stop!" He said laughing, as Ellie pounced on him.

"Ha, gotcha!" Ellie said triumphantly.

"I don't think so!" Cameron said, flipping her over and pinning her to the couch. Ellie was laughing and enjoying herself, but stopped abruptly when she felt Cameron kissing her neck. She shivered and let out a quiet moan as he pulled away from her neck and flashed her a mischievous smile, she could see his blue eyes studying every inch of her face and upper body. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and squirmed underneath him. He started kissing down her neck to the top of her collarbone, causing her to let out another shiver. She wanted to stop, but her body wouldn't let her. She was on fire, every touch caused her skin to tingle, causing new sensations she had never experienced. She convulsed beneath him as his hand came off of her arm and brushed the underside of her breast.

"Cameron!" She moaned. Ellie managed to push him off of her with her now free arm. She sat up, trembling, her body still tingling.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said, seeming shocked at what he had just done. He slowly backed away from her.

"No, it's okay, it's just, um, I think it's almost dinner." She said stumbling over her words. She stood up, her legs wobbling as she walked into the kitchen.

They ate slowly, savoring the taste of beef and fresh vegetables. Ellie had never tasted anything so delicious in her entire life, it did beat canned peaches. Joel was unnaturally quiet throughout dinner, barely looking up from his plate and poking at his food. She had overheard part of his conversation with Tommy, but she was unsure whether it had anything to do with Joel's behavior.

"I'm going to sleep." Joel said suddenly, standing and leaving the room.

"What's wrong with him?" Cameron asked no one in particular.

"I think it would be best if we didn't talk about it right now." Tommy answered, picking up the empty plates that littered the table, placing them in the sink. Ellie felt tired herself as she had watched Joel leave for bed.

"I think I'll be heading to bed too." Ellie said stretching. "Thanks for everything Maria." She added.

"Thanks Maria, and you too Tommy." Cameron said, giving his relatives each a hug. "Goodnight." He called out to them as we left the dining room.

"Don't do anything stupid!" Maria called back teasing them. Ellie could feel herself flush with color as Maria said this.

"I guess I got the couch?" Cameron said as they approached the other spare bedroom.

"Uh, only if really want to, but, uh, you can sleep in here?" Ellie said timidly, surprised at her own choice.

"I'm sorry about earlier, just because it started, doesn't mean we have to finish it." Cameron said, grabbing ahold of her hands.

"I know." Ellie replied, her voice barely audible.

"Are you sure?" Cameron asked. She only nodded. She stepped into the bedroom, pulling Cameron with her. She removed her shoes, but nothing else, her heart was pounding in her chest. She laid back in the bed and pulled the sheets over herself as Cameron laid down on his back. She snuggled up next to him, she touched his chest and noticed he was shirtless, his skin was warm to the touch. She lightly pet his chest, causing him to shiver at her touch. Cameron turned onto his side, she could barely see him in the moonlight that streamed through the window. He kissed her, hard. Ellie felt herself slip away as she kissed him back, her lips parting, allowing his tongue to flick across her teeth. Her body ached with passion as her hands explored his naked chest and stomach. She felt his hand snake up underneath her shirt, resting it on her flat tummy. She rolled over on top of him breaking their kiss, sitting up on him. She was panting, her body shook as he helped lift her shirt up over her head, exposing her flesh colored bra. Her breathing became ragged as he leaned forward, kissing her stomach while unbuttoning her faded jeans. She wiggled her hips, helping him slid her pants off and causing him to moan in the process.

"If you want to stop just tell me." Cameron breathed.

"Please don't stop!" She gasped as his hands came to rest on her bare ass. She could feel Cameron stirring beneath her as she felt something grow stiff below her. She smiled at the effect she had on him. She felt his hands slide up her back, finding the metal clasp to her bra. He hesitated a moment before undoing the clasp and letting her slide her bra off. She suddenly felt shy and exposed so she brought her arms up to cover her chest.

"Stop, they're beautiful." Cameron told her, moving her arms away from her small, but perky chest. Her entire body froze as his hand brushed over her nipple. She held her breath as his hands cupped her small breasts. She let out a long moan and was grinding harder on top of Cameron, causing him to grit his teeth. Her body ached to be touched everywhere, she felt as if she was about to explode. Cameron slipped a hand of her chest, sliding it down her body, stopping at the top of her panties. She bucked her body forward, forcing herself onto Cameron's hand, separating her wet folds from his hand by only a thin layer of fabric. He twisted her nipple as he touched her through her panties. She started to tremble, her body going into overdrive, she leaned down and kissed Cameron hard to stifle her scream as she came for the first time in her life. Her body convulsed as wave after wave of pleasure overtook her. Her body went limp as she nearly passed out from bliss, she felt herself drift off to sleep as her high slowly faded.


	9. Chapter 9

The Two of Us-Ch.9-Departure

~~~Ellie~~~

"Son of a bitch!" Ellie heard Joel yell as he slammed the door. Ellie yelped as she was getting dressed when Joel barged in.

"Maybe knock next time?" Ellie said angrily as she finished getting dressed and left for the kitchen.

"Morning." Cameron said to her, his plate already empty of his breakfast. She smiled at him and sat down next to him at the table.

"Order up!" Maria said cheerfully, placing a plate full of food in front of her. She shoveled bacon and eggs into her mouth, trying to suppress the hunger that gnawed at her. The mood in the kitchen was light and happy and Ellie could feel it.

_Is this what a normal life feels like?_ Ellie asked herself as she lost herself in a daydream about a perfect life. Joel walked in the room and Ellie could feel the mood shift as everyone started feeling and acting nervous. Joel had his pack on and was dressed for traveling.

"Hurry up, we gotta leave soon." Joel said gruffly. Ellie stopped eating and set her fork down on the table, trying to hold back the wave of sadness that hit her. She realized that she didn't want to leave, ever.

"C'mon, finish up and get your stuff, I've got a cure to deliver." Joel said acting strangely. Ellie balled up her fists, angry at how Joel had addressed them.

"Is that all we are to you?" Cameron interjected as Joel had turned to leave the room, but now he stopped in his tracks. "A fucking job?" Cameron questioned.

"Well I'm getting payed for it, so yeah." Joel said uninterested. _Wrong fucking answer_. Ellie thought as Cameron stood up from the table, something evil burning in his eyes, rage.

"You know what? Fuck you!" Cameron yelled. "Maybe we can get someone who is a fucking human to take us." He spat. "You're no better than those things out there, or those hunters in Pittsburgh."

"C'mon, we're leaving." Joel said calmly.

"And if we say no?" Ellie asked.

"What is it that you want from me?" Joel shot back.

"Admit you wanted to get rid of us the whole time!" Ellie answered.

"I just wanted..." Joel started.

"Stop with the bullshit!" Ellie cut him off.

"You would've been better off with Tommy." Joel said quietly, starting to exit the room.

"I'm not her you know." Ellie said, barely audible.

"What?!" Joel said surprised, spinning on his heel.

"Tommy told us about Sarah and..." Ellie started.

"Ellie!" Joel yelled. "You do not want to go there."

"I'm sorry about your daughter Joel, but we have lost people too." Ellie said glancing at Cameron, who had sat back down and was staring at the table.

"You have no idea what loss is." Joel scolded her.

Ellie could barely control her anger. "Everyone I have cared for has either died, or left me." Ellie said, her voice cracking. "Everyone-Fucking except for you two!" Ellie said hitting the table, her emotions overcoming her as tears streamed down her face.

"You're right." Joel said calmly. "Your not my daughter, and I sure as hell ain't your dad, and we will head our separate ways." All Ellie could do was punch the table and walk out of the room before she exploded with rage. She could hear Cameron and Joel fighting as she sat in the next room over. She put her head in her hands, crying as she thought about what Joel said to her.

"Ellie?" She heard someone ask. It was Maria. "Ellie I know that this is hard for you, but Joel hasn't felt much for anyone ever since Sarah died." Maria started. "Joel would only be saying these things because..." She paused. "Because he is starting to care about you, and he doesn't want to deal with another loss to one of the only people that he cares about."

Ellie looked up at Maria. "Do you really believe that?" She asked Maria.

Maria nodded. "I really do. You can ask Tommy." Ellie felt herself calm down, the more she thought about Maria's words, the more it made sense. Joel really did have a heart.

~~~Joel~~~

Joel hurt. He regretted everything he said to Ellie because deep down, he knew that he was filling a hole in his heart. He didn't like to admit it, even to himself.

_I won't become attached, I can't become attached_. Joel lied to himself. Joel hadn't heard a single thing Cameron had yelled at him. Joel made the boy so angry with his silence that he drove him from the kitchen. Joel knew that he was wrong, but they did have to leave if they wanted to make it to Salt Lake City before the winter came. Joel left the kitchen and walked into the living room.

"If you want to make it to Salt Lake City before we freeze to death, we need to leave now." Joel said. He knew he sounded like an insensitive asshole, but it was the truth. "Get your things now, don't make me repeat myself." Joel said to the two teens. Ellie looked up at him, a strange expression on her face, like she knew something he didn't. He felt uneasy, but eventually the two got up to gather their things. Cameron had stayed mostly silent when grabbing his gear and supplies, but Ellie was constantly whispering to Maria about who knows what. Tommy and Maria lead the trio outside to the stables to load their gear on a couple of horses.

"We can't give you each your own horse." Tommy explained. "Otherwise we wouldn't have enough for ourselves."

"That's fine." Joel answered. "You ok riding with Cameron?" Joel asked Ellie.

"Yep." Ellie responded, flashing the other teen a smile. Cameron appeared happy about it too. Joel just chuckled as he lifted himself onto his own horse.

"Joel?" Maria said as they were about to leave. Joel looked over his shoulder to his sister in law. "Promise me that you bring them both back." Maria said to him.

"I promise." Joel said, placing his hand over his heart.

"Also." Tommy started, striding up to Joel's horse. "I would suggest heading south to Denver first, then west to Salt Lake. There's a nasty group of cannibals that lives southwest of here, between us and Salt Lake." Tommy explained.

"Sounds good." Joel answered.

"Stay safe." Maria said as Joel spurred his horse. "If they both don't come back, you better not either." She threatened as the three exited the stables.

"There's a place for y'all once you get back." Tommy told him as he followed them out of the stables.

"I know they'll take you up on that, but I'll have to think about it." Joel said motioning to the teens on the horse next to him. "Adios little brother." Joel said as the horses trotted down the road away from the town. Joel looked to his right, watching the two teens looking back and waving to Tommy and Maria.


	10. Chapter 10

The Two of Us-Ch.10-Denver

~~~Me~~~

Riding horses sucked after two straight months of it. Lucky for me, we were almost half way to Salt Lake City. I groaned at that thought.

"Quit your whinin' and look up ahead, you can see the city skyline." Joel pointed out. I could see the tops of buildings off in the distance. I shook Ellie, who was asleep and holding onto me on the back. She lifted her head groggily.

"Hmm?" She groaned.

"Look, there's Denver." I said, pointing to the buildings in the distance. I saw her gaze shift from me to the skyline.

"They used to call Denver, The Mile High City, for more than just one reason." Joel chuckled at some joke that neither Ellie or I understood. I shrugged as Joel started laughing harder.

"Jesus Joel!" Ellie scolded him.

"What?" He replied innocently.

"Damn clickers will hear you from a mile away." Ellie exaggerated.

"Someone's grumpy this morning." Joel mumbled.

"What was that?" Ellie asked.

"Nothin'." Joel answered.

I watched as the buildings slowly grew bigger as neared the city, I felt light headed and a little sick, which caused me to swoon on top of the horse.

"Easy." Ellie said grabbing my shoulders to help steady me. She leaned her chin on my shoulder and smiled up at me.

"You ok?" I heard Joel ask.

"Yeah, just need to get used to the elevation." I responded rubbing my head with one hand. As we neared the entrance to the city, Joel slowed down. I saw his face harden as he was thinking.

"It would probably be best if we don't go into the city, I don't want this to end up like Pittsburgh." Joel said.

"Whatever you say boss." I replied.

"What'd I say about you calling me that?" Joel asked angrily. I chuckled at his reaction to the nickname.

"Sorry." I said as he glared at me.

"C'mon, this way." Joel instructed, turning his horse off the road and onto the mountainous terrain. The city had an eerie vibe, for one thing, the only noise we could hear was the horses hooves on the rocks and our own breathing.

"Joel, something ain't right." I said nervously.

"Shhh. Keep it down." He responded, I could see him turn his head, listening for a sound. His head snapped to the left, away from the city as he heard a noise inaudible to my own ears.

"They're here! Off the horses now." He commanded, climbing off his own horse, just then a shot rang out, hitting Joel's horse. The horse whinnied as it fell to the ground, bleeding from its chest.

"Oh fuck!" I heard Ellie say as she jumped off the back of the horse. I quickly followed her lead and dismounted, sprinting for cover as bullets tore up the ground around me.

"Who the fuck are these guys?" I asked Joel as we ducked behind a boulder.

"How should I know? All I know is that they're a pain in the ass." Joel replied angrily. "Move!" He said, sprinting out from behind the boulder. Ellie and I followed close behind, both of us removing our guns from our handmade holsters. Joel dropped a man that charged at him with a pipe with a single shot.

"I wish I knew how many of them there were." Joel muttered as we ducked behind a building. "Quick, down the street." Joel instructed, pushing Ellie forward. Ellie started to run to the next building, shooting a man who tried grabbing her.

"Fuck!" I heard Joel exclaim behind me. I turned around to see his shoulder get slammed by a board, effectively shattering the board. Joel proceed to smash his assailant's head into the brick surface of the building.

"Don't stop!" He yelled as I turned and followed Ellie down the road. We ran down the road, occasionally someone would try to grab one of us, but they were easily disposed of. I could see where the street curved ahead of us and we continued forward. As we passed a house, the wall facing the road exploded outward, sending us sprawling to the pavement. Pain ripped through my right shoulder as I was thrown to the ground, the burning sensation spreading across my chest and through my back. I lay, disoriented, hearing Joel yelling and more shooting. The air started turning yellow, as clouds of spores poured from the house onto the street.

"Oh my god! Cameron!" I heard Ellie yell, she sounded panicked. I turned my head to face her as she kneeled next to me, paining exploded from my shoulder as I moved my head. Then I saw what Ellie was panicked about, embedded into my shoulder was a massive shard of glass. The glass had buried itself just below my collarbone and extended down several inches.

"Cameron, you gotta get up. They're coming!" I heard Joel yell from somewhere in front of me. "Fuck! We got a bloater!" Joel exclaimed. Ellie slowly helped me sit up, my shoulder burning intensely the whole time. All I could feel was pain as Ellie helped me to my feet. I shook violently as Ellie put herself under my left arm to help support me.

"Move! Now!" Joel ordered, heading down the road. I could hear yelling and gunfire as we continued down the street. Bloodcurdling screams ripped down the street as our attackers were ripped to pieces by infected.

"In here!" Joel said, opening a door. The house wasn't empty though, and as Joel opened the door, a man lunged at him, stabbing him in the lower abdomen with a metal stake. Ellie proceeded to shoot the attacker, who crumpled to the pavement. I watched Joel fall to his knees, clutching at his wound, I saw panic in his eyes as he fell through the doorway. Ellie ran from underneath me, I staggered as she left me, but I could support myself as I struggled towards the door. Ellie dropped to Joel's side.

"No no no. Joel, you gotta get up. Joel? Joel you gotta tell us what to do?" She cried, slowly dragging him through the door. I stumbled into the house and slammed the door behind us.


	11. Chapter 11

The Two of Us-Ch.11-Some Wounds Never Heal

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie was terrified, she was unable to process the events of the last few minutes as she dragged an unconscious Joel onto an old couch. She rolled him onto his back to inspect his wound. There was hole in his lower right part of his abdomen, which was leaning more blood than she thought people had. She pulled Joel's shirt away from the sticky hole and she pulled out a towel she had tucked into her backpack. She pored water onto the towel and tied it around Joel's body, making sure it was as tight as it could be.

"Ellie?" She heard Cameron say from behind. She looked behind her to see Cameron holding alcohol and a needle and thread. He stumbled towards her, handing her the materials he had found. She stared at the large piece of glass protruding from his shoulder, he was also bleeding profusely, but not as badly as Joel. Ellie quickly untied her towel and opened the bottle of alcohol Cameron had given her. She poured the liquid into his wound, watching it bubble as it hit his flesh. She threaded the needle and prepared herself for what see was about to do. She pushed the needle through his skin on one side, to the other, quickly stitching the wound. Once she finished with the front, she pushed Joel onto his side and stitched the back up. She heard Cameron groan behind her as he sat down in a chair, clutching at his shoulder. Once she finished tending to Joel, she went to check on Cameron.

"How you holding up?" She asked him as she inspected his shoulder and the glass wedged into it.

"I'm just peachy." He said sarcastically, grunting in pain. Ellie knew she had to remove the glass, but she didn't want to hurt Cameron to the point of him passing out. Ellie also knew that if she didn't stitch his shoulder soon, he would pass out from blood loss. His wound was pouring blood, staining the glass, his shirt, and the chair as he bled.

"Alright Cameron, this is going to hurt, a lot." She told him.

"Just get this fucking thing out of me!" He demanded. He let out a sharp cry when she touched the shard. Ellie had to do it fast, so she quickly grabbed the glass and pulled. Cameron screamed in agony as the glass was ripped from his flesh, even more blood started to pour from the hole in his shoulder. Ellie then realized her mistake, she didn't have enough thread to give him any stitches. She racked her brain for an idea, when she remembered something that the military had taught her back in Boston, cauterizing. The very thought of her doing it caused her to shudder, but it was necessary, unless she wanted him to die.

"Ellie?" Cameron said softly as she rummaged through Joel's bag for his lighter.

"I'm going to be right back, ok?" She told him. He gave her a slight nod as she went into the back yard to light a fire. She started the fire, placing the metal stake that Joel had been stabbed with over the fire, slowly heating it up until it glowed a soft red color. She carefully carried it into the house, making sure not to burn herself. She knelt in front of Cameron, who barely acknowledged her presence.

"Alright, this is going to hurt more." She said, lifting his shirt over his head. She steadied the stake above his wound and took a deep breath, plunging the red-hot metal onto his flesh. Cameron screamed as his flesh melted together, the stench of burning skin filled the room. Cameron's scream was cut short as he blacked out, slumping over a little. Ellie held the metal in place until she was sure the wound was closed and slowly removed it from his shoulder. She wiped the blood off of his shoulder and saw that his wound had closed completely. Ellie stood and opened the front door, throwing the stake as far as she could and slammed it shut. She returned to where the guys were unconscious, laid down on the floor and fell asleep.

~~~Joel~~~

Joel was having the strangest dreams. He couldn't tell what was real, when he was back living with his daughter Sarah in Texas, or him lying in immense pain in Denver. He wanted to believe that he was back home, but he knew that he wasn't, that the pain was real and that he was really dying. He could barely move his body, but he could hear two voices that sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't remember where he knew them.

_He'll make it, I think._ A girls voice said.

"Sarah?" He muttered, his vision going black.

_Are you sure? He doesn't look to good._ A boy's voice said. His head hurt, he couldn't tell who's voices were speaking.

Joel's eyes shot open, his body ached with pain. He attempted to roll onto his back and eventually did so.

"Look he's awake!" The girls voice said.

"Sarah?" He asked the voice, turning his head.

"No, it's me, Ellie." She responded. Joel's eyes met with the young girl who now took his hand and kneeled beside him. He studied her face as memories rushed back to him, easing his headache.

"Is he alright?" Cameron asked, joining Ellie next to Joel.

"I don't know, he just woke up." Ellie answered.

Joel groaned. "How long have I been out?" He asked.

"Well, off and on for about 3 weeks." Ellie told him. "This is the first time we have been able to talk with you though." She added.

"How...?" He started to ask how he was still alive, but didn't want to know the answer.

"How do you feel?" Cameron asked him.

"Like death." Joel retorted.

"That'd be because you would've had it not been for Ellie, she saved my life too." Cameron explained. Joel couldn't remember what had happened to Cameron, he could barely remember what had happened to him.

"I need... Sleep." Joel said, his side burning. Ellie gave him a nod then turned to Cameron.

"Let's let him rest, he'll need it if he wants to get better." Ellie said. Joel shivered as he turned his head to look up at the ceiling, he didn't realize how sick he was until he started to drift off into a deep sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The Two of Us Ch.12-Predators

~~~~**Winter**~~~~

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie was crouched motionless in the falling snow, she had been tracking the buck's tracks for a while now, but now, he was within her grasp. Ellie notched an arrow on her bow, and pulled the string back, carefully aiming her shot. She let the arrow fly and she saw it hit the buck in the rear, causing it to shot off into the snowy forest.

"Damn it." She muttered as she stood to follow the buck. Since the buck was now bleeding, it was easier for her to track it. She slid down a small hill into a snow bank, cursing as snow got in her shoes and her pants, the cold stinging her bare flesh. She got up and brushed the snow from her coat and pants, looking for the crimson mark that the buck would've left in the snow. She noticed movement in the distant and made her way over to it, it was the buck. Ellie saw the arrow she had shot sticking out of its backside, causing the buck to limp around bleeding. As she got closer, she readied another arrow, she had to make this shot count, because she was running out of arrows. She steadied her arm and took the shot, the arrow flew through the falling snow and struck the buck in the neck, causing it again to run off further into the woods.

"Fuck!" Ellie yelled, kicking a small snow drift. She put her bow over her shoulder and continued to follow the wounded buck through the falling snow. The blood led her into an open area with a few buildings filled with odd machines. The place had an odd feel and sent a shiver down her spine.

"How are you not dead?" Ellie muttered to herself. She rounded a building and saw the buck laying dead in the snow.

"Oh, there you are!" Ellie said excitedly as she jogged over to the dead buck. As she kneeled to grab the buck, she heard a branch snap in the trees in front of her. Ellie shot up and drew her bow.

"Who's there?" She asked, her voice shaky. She saw two men step out from behind the trees, one with a rifle, the other with a handgun.

"Relax." One told her. "We are not going to hurt you." He told her. He took a step towards her.

"Stop!" Ellie yelled. "Don't come any closer, or I'll put one right between your eyes." She warned.

"Alright." The one with the rifle said. "We just want to talk, I'm David, and this here is my friend James." He informed her. "That's a mighty fine looking kill you got there, would you be willing to trade for it? I'm sure we have something you need." Ellie stared down the two men, not budging an inch.

"Clothing, weapons, ammo..." David started.

"Medicine!" Ellie blurted out. She gulped. "I need antibiotics." She said.

"We've got some, back at the camp." David said looking over his shoulder. "You can follow us..." He started to say.

"No!" Ellie interjected. "Buddy-boy over there can go it, I'm not going anywhere." She said.

"Go on now James, get the little lady what she wants." David said waving James away while giving Ellie a smile that caused her to shiver. She didn't like this man, she especially disliked the part where they would be alone for a period of time.

"I'll take that rifle." Ellie told David.

"Of course." He replied, still smiling as he dropped his rifle on the ground and backed away from it. Ellie quickly slung her bow over her shoulder and picked the gun up off the ground, pulled the bolt back to check if it was loaded and aimed it at David.

"You mind if we take shelter from the cold? He's probably gonna be a while." David said, motioning to one of the strange buildings.

"Take him with us." Ellie ordered, motioning to the dead buck in front of her. She backed up and David grabbed the buck by the antlers and dragged it inside the nearest building.

~~~Cameron~~~

I was worried, Ellie was supposed to be back an hour ago.

_Just another short hunt._ She had told him. _I'll be back in a flash. _Ellie had been forced to do most of everything for us because I was still unable to use my right arm. However, I was left handed so I was still able to help her out sometimes, but often I was stuck guarding Joel like I am now. Ellie often returned late, but something didn't feel right to me this time.

"Joel, I'll be back soon, I'm going to go find Ellie then be right back, okay?" I told him. As usual he just groaned and shifted slightly. I stood and slung my bag over my left shoulder and with some difficulty got the other strap over my right shoulder. I took a last look over my shoulder at Joel as I walked out the door.


	13. Chapter 13

The Two of Us Ch.13-A Close Call

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie heard screaming as she was crouched next to the fire. Her head shot up to see David staring at her, making her squirm uncomfortably as the screaming got closer.

"You hear that?" Ellie asked David. He nodded and they stood. Ellie turned to face the door to the building they were in just as clicker came through the door, it's body twitching and walking awkwardly. It's head turned while it continued clicking, searching for anything moving. Ellie took a step back and her shoe squeaked, causing the clicker's head to snap towards her. It started its wild run towards her, flailing it's arms and clicking rapidly. Just then gunshots rang out as David shot the clicker multiple times, causing the clicker to fall to the ground convulsing.

"You had another gun?" Ellie asked angrily.

"Sorry." David said somewhat sheepishly.

"We're not safe here!" He yelled as infected started to pour into the building. He turned and kicked a door open.

"Let's go!" David yelled, shooting at any infected that got too close. Ellie sprinted through the door and up a flight of stairs.

~~~Me~~~

I trekked through the falling snow, looking for anything that could tell me where Ellie was. I wasn't having the best luck though because the snow was falling faster and it would soon cover any tracks I would find. I was about to give up and go back until I heard gunshots in the distance.

"Oh god." I said to myself as I heard more shots being fired. I turned towards where the noise was coming from and ran towards it.

"I'm coming Ellie." I muttered to myself as I took off through the snow.

~~~Ellie~~~

"How the fuck do we get out of here?" Ellie yelled to David as they found themselves trapped in a room with no exits except where they had entered from.

"I don't know, but there's more of 'em coming, get ready!" David warned her as infected and clickers started to come through their only exit. Ellie started firing blindly not the mass of infected, but there were too many of them and she knew it would be over for them if they couldn't find a way out. Ellie frantically scanned the area for an escape route, but it was impossible, there wasn't a way out.

"We're dead, David, there's no way out." Ellie yelled as the infected approached. David gave her a nervous glance and kept shooting. Ellie had all but given up when it happened. As the horde was nearly upon them, they erupted into flames, the infected's screams filled the air as they burned. Ellie gave a sigh of relief, as the last infected collapsed, dead, onto the ground. She looked at David and saw him staring at the pile of charred bodies.

"Ellie?" She heard a familiar voice call out. She looked over to the hallway that they had entered from and saw Cameron appear from the doorway, clutching at his shoulder and holding an unlit Molotov.

"Cameron thank god!" She cried, she ran to him and kissed him, hard, pretty much throwing herself onto him. She pulled away from their kiss and she buried herself into his good shoulder and just hugged him.

"Whoa! Calm down, it's okay." He said as she started to tremble in his arms. She looked up at him.

"You saved us Cameron, how'd you find me?" Ellie asked him.

"Wait, us?" Cameron asked, looking over her shoulder. Ellie pulled out of their embrace and turned towards David.

"Um Cameron this is David, David, Cameron." She introduced the two, each stared the other down.

"What is he doing here?" Cameron asked her.

"He just wanted to trade some medicine for a buck I killed." Ellie responded. Cameron looked over at David, a strange look I his eyes.

"We should uh, probably get out of here." David suggested.

"Good idea, this place gives me the creeps." Ellie responded. The trio headed back to where the dead buck had been dragged to. Luckily, the infected didn't touch it. David relit the fire that he had made before and they all sat around it.

"We did pretty good back there." David said smiling at Ellie.

"The only we are alive is because Cameron found us, we got lucky." Ellie retorted.

"No, no such thing as luck, you see I believe that everything happens for a reason, and I'll prove it to you." David said leaning back against a crate. Ellie gave him a blank stare.

"You see, this winter has been especially cruel, just a few weeks ago, I sent out a group to look for supplies, and only a few came back." David paused. "The ones that came back said the rest had been slaughtered by a, crazy man." Ellie looked at Cameron nervously and David continued his story. "But get this, it was a man, traveling with two kids." David finished with a malicious smile on his face. Ellie stood up and drew the rifle, pointing it at David. "Now, no need to get upset, it's not your fault, your just kids." David told them. Ellie saw him look behind them and then said, "James, lower the gun." Ellie spun to see the man pointing a gun at them. James looked at her, then at Cameron, and finally to David.

"No way, I'm not..." He started.

"Lower the gun." David said slowly. James hesitated then slowly lowered his handgun. "Now give them the medicine." David added. James gave David a deadly look then tossed Ellie the bag of antibiotics, which she caught. James moved from the doorway as Ellie and Cameron started to leave.

"You won't last long by yourselves, we can help you." David said as they were leaving.

"No thanks." Ellie said as she turned and ran from the building, Cameron close behind her.


	14. Chapter 14

The Two of Us Ch.14-Distractions

**A/N This chapter is rated MA. If it ain't your thing, don't read it, you can skip to Ellie's part at the bottom, that's where the story resumes. **

~~~Me~~~

Ellie and I ran as fast as we could back to the house where Joel was. I didn't like that David guy, he was _weird_ to say the least. I noticed he kept sneaking looks at Ellie when she wasn't looking, but I was watching him, I knew exactly how he was going to "help" Ellie, and it wouldn't have been something she'd enjoy. As we got closer to the house, it began to snow harder than it had been, I could barely see the house from the edge of the woods. Ellie beat me to the house and flung the door open.

"Joel?" She called out when she burst through the door. Ellie continued to run to where Joel was laying.

"Joel, guess what I got?" Ellie asked him excitedly. Joel groaned as Ellie rolled him onto his back.

"Look!" She said, taking off her backpack and pulling out the sack of antibiotics. She opened it and pulled out a bottle the stuff and a syringe.

"Okay Joel, this might hurt a little." She warned, moving his arm and rolling up his shirt. His wound looked awful, the skin was flushed a deep red with yellow streaks throughout and was hot to the touch. Joel groaned as Ellie inserted the needle and pushed the plunger down.

"See? Wasn't that bad was it?" Ellie said pulling down his shirt and drawing a blanket over his body. Ellie turned to me and frowned.

"Now it's your turn mister." Ellie said, crawling towards where I was sitting on the floor. Her playful frown turning to a smile.

"What? No way I'm fine!" I tried explaining to her.

"Last time I "checked" it didn't look so good." Ellie said, emphasizing the check.

"I don't want that needle near me." I told her.

"You can get impaled by glass, but your afraid of a needle?" Ellie mocked me and started to laugh.

"Whatever, I said no." I scoffed.

"Ah? Please?" Ellie said biting her lip. That was her new thing. Every time she wanted me to do something, she'd bite her lip and give me the most innocent look and I couldn't say no to her. I looked away from her, trying not to let her move in front of me.

"No." I said firmly.

"What if I said that there'd be a little something in it for you?" Ellie said mischievously. I turned to look at her, now she had a different look, one that I had never seen from her. She smiled at me and leaned in for a kiss. Just as our lips were about to meet, she pulled away from me and stood up.

"Not until you get your shot." Ellie said as she returned to the chair that her bag was in and rummaged through it, looking for the medicine. I watched her as she tried to find the brown bag in her backpack. She turned her head back to look at me.

"You know, if you stare any harder you might burn a hole through my pants." Ellie said giggling. I felt my face flush with heat and she let out a rather loud laugh. She turned back to her bag and gave a little wiggle to her hips.

"Here it is!" Ellie said triumphantly, holding up the brown sack. She looked over her shoulder to me, a sly smile on her face.

"Or maybe you'd like it better if I stood over here a while longer?" Ellie said, causing me face to again flush red.

"Can we just get this shot over with, please?" I pleaded. Ellie laughed and strode over to me.

"Alright tough guy, you're going to have to take that shirt off first." Ellie said as she sat down in front of me. I lifted my shirt over my head, causing my shoulder to twinge with pain. My shoulder didn't look nearly as bad as Joel's wound, but it wasn't doing well either. Ellie reached out and touched the scar.

"Does it hurt?" She asked concerned.

"Only sometimes." I lied, my shoulder actually hurt most of the time. Ellie drew the liquid into the syringe and held it.

"You ready?" She asked me.

"Just go, please?" I said annoyed. Ellie carefully pushed the needle into my skin, causing my shoulder to start tingling. The tingling soon turned to a slight burning sensation as she pushed the plunger in.

"See? Not that bad?" Ellie said withdrawing the needle from my shoulder and put it back in the sack and tossed it into the chair where her backpack was. Ellie looked nervously at me.

"Now" I started. "About that 'little something'." I said, leaning in to kiss her. Ellie kissed me back and leaned in towards me, pushing me onto my back.

"Um, this is awkward with Joel in here." Ellie said pulling out of our kiss and glancing over to where Joel was sleeping.

"Well, lead the way my lady." I said standing up and gesturing down the main hallway.

"Right, so you can stare at my ass some more." Ellie said. As she walked passed me, she stopped and put her hand on my bare chest.

"Oh, someone feels a little warm. I think you need to go see doctor Ellie, she'll _take care of you_." Ellie said seductively, grabbing my hand and dragging me into the main bedroom at the end of the hallway. I was having trouble thinking, Ellie had never acted this way before, she hadn't seemed interested in me since our first and only time, in Jackson.

Ellie pulled me through the door and dropped my hand, walking over to the bed. Ellie laid down on the bed and looked over at me.

"Well are you going to join me or...?" Ellie asked me pausing. She didn't finish before I silenced her by kissing her. Ellie pressed herself into me as we rolled over and she ended up on top of me. Ellie's hands explored my body as we continued our passionate kiss. Her hands traveled down my chest to my abdomen, her cold hands sent a chill through me as she slowly brought her hands lower. She pulled out of our kiss and smiled seductively at me.

"You know, I never repaid you for that night back in Jackson." She said, her fingers hooking into the waistband of my pants. "I might have to fix that." She said as one of her hands worked at the button on my pants.

"Wait." I told her, she gave me a confused look until I started tugging at the bottom of her shirt and her smile returned. She pulled her shirt over head exposing her plain, flesh colored bra. Ellie reached behind her back and I heard the clasp come undone. She bit her lip as she slid the straps off her shoulders, exposing her small breasts to me.

"You're absolutely beautiful, you know that?" I told her. I saw Ellie blush as I brought my head up and sucked on one of her tiny nipples. She froze as I licked and sucked the sensitive skin and she began to shake. Her hands traveled back down my body and fumbled with the button on my pants but finally worked it loose. I heard her unzip them, and I withdrew from her chest as she scooted down my body and attempted to remove my pants. She pulled at the waistband and worked them down over my ass and off my legs, leaving me in only my underwear. Ellie grabbed at the growing bulge in my underwear and I shuddered, she had never touched me this way before. Ellie began to slowly stroke me through my underwear as I grew harder in her hand. She deftly took the hand of my underwear and yanked them off of me, exposing my hard shaft to her. At first she just stared at it, her face so close I could feel her breath on my dick and it sent a wave of pleasure through my body. Ellie brought her hand up to it and lightly grasped it in a fist and pumped her hand up and down my shaft.

"Is this- is this right?" Ellie asked shyly. I moaned and gave her a slight nod and her grasp tightened around my row as she jerked me faster.

"Ellie." I said to her, she looked up at me. "Take your pants off and swing your leg over my head." I told her. She did what I asked, throwing her pants away and straddling my face, her plain panties inches from my face. Ellie continued her handjob, which was way better than anything I had ever experienced. I looked up at Ellie's panties, the material was wet with her juices when I touched them. She shuddered as I moved the thin material to the side and exposed her little hole. I could smell her aroma now, and also see her glistening juices leaking from her tight folds. I took my hand and brought it up to her pussy, lightly brushing her swollen lips and making her squirm in the process. My hand continued exploring the outer edges of her soaked folds, eliciting many moans from her in the process. Ellie jumped and let out a yelp as my hand brushed over her clit. I used my fingers to tease her clit, which I had discovered was extremely sensitive. Ellie started grinding her pussy onto my fingers as she started leaking more and more. I felt myself start to shake and so did Ellie, both of our orgasms nearing. Ellie started stroking faster and grinding harder and she suddenly exploded, cumming all over my hand and face. Then I felt my body tense up and a surge of pleasure, almost blacking out as I came, making Ellie, even in her disoriented state, jump in surprise as my first shot hit her in the cheek. Ellie let another shot by her in the face before she moved and let myself expel the rest onto her hand. Ellie rolled off of me and crawled up beside me on the bed. I looked over at her and saw my cum staining part of her face.

"Look what you did!" Ellie said wiping my cream from her face.

"What I did? I think you made the bigger mess!" I teased her, her juices plastering my hand and face.

"I think I probably did." Ellie admitted. "Well I'm going to clean up, then I'm going to sleep, for real." She said.

"If you insist." I said, pulling on my underwear and pants.

I looked around inside the house and found some relatively clean rags to clean ourselves with. I poured some water on each and we wiped each other's juices of our faces. I got my shirt from Joel's room and slipped back into the main bedroom, where Ellie had already fallen asleep.

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie was awoken by the sound of voices outside. She got out of bed and crept to the front of the house and peeked out the window. She saw people outside, they were searching houses, she knew they were looking for her.

"Shit, these are David's guys aren't they?" She asked herself as she backed away from the window and went back to where Cameron was sleeping. Ellie shook him awake.

"What?" He asked groggily.

"David's guys are here, I'm going to see if I can draw them away from here." Ellie told him.

"Are you crazy? Do you know why David wanted you to go with him?" He asked me.

"Of course, he's a creepy old man, but that means they won't kill me." Ellie reassured him.

"I'm not letting you do this." Cameron replied.

"Well it's a good thing I didn't ask." Ellie said leaving the room and grabbing her stuff from the backroom and slipping out the door.


	15. Chapter 15

The Two of Us Ch.15-Awake and Alive

~~~Joel~~~

When Joel awoke, he had no idea where he was. He didn't even realize that he was still alive until just now. Joel's head pounded and his side ached badly. He sat up clutching his side and stood for the first time in a long while.

"Ellie? Cameron?" He yelled out.

"Joel?" He heard Cameron call back. Cameron came running into the room, his face showed a sign of relief to seeing Joel awake and standing on his own.

"What happened? Where's Ellie?" Joel asked him worriedly.

"Well you've been sick for a really long time, Ellie's been taking care of us while my shoulder got better." He explained. Joel's expression hardened.

"Where's Ellie?" He asked more forcefully.

"Um, it's kind of a long story, but she's in a lot of trouble right now." Cameron told him. "I was actually hoping you'd wake up soon because I couldn't leave you here with them still around." He added gesturing outside.

Joel walked over to the window with a slight limp and peered outside, there were about a half dozen men outside checking houses.

"Let's go." Joel said gruffly, returning to his bed and grabbing his back pack. Cameron nodded in agreement and grabbed his own bag.

"Tell me exactly what happened." Joel said as they left out the back door.

"Well you got stabbed, I'm assuming you remember that, then Ellie has been going out and getting stuff for us because I still can't carry heavy stuff or use some weapons." He started. "Then just yesterday, she met this guy, David, who was really creepy, like rapist crept, and she traded him a deer she had killed for some antibiotics. Then this morning a bunch of these guys showed up and she went out to draw them away from us." He finished.

"You let her do that?" Joel asked angrily.

"No, I tried to tell her not to, but she was set on doing it and she just left." Cameron said defensively.

"Let's go get these bastards." Joel said spitting out the last word.

"It'll be my pleasure." Cameron replied. As they rounded the corner of the house, Joel looked to see how many guys there were.

"I count five." Joel said.

"Me too." Cameron said, pulling out his handgun. Joel unslung his shotgun from his shoulder, and stepped out from behind the cover of the house. The five men had gathered outside in the middle of the street and were conversing.

"We need one alive." Joel whispered to Cameron as the crept up behind them. They hid behind a car just a few feet from where the group was standing, Joel looked over to Cameron and mouthed off, _one, two, three,_ they both kept from either side of the car and killed two of the men with their first shots, leaving the remaining three to try and scramble for cover. Cameron shot one in the leg before he could get to cover and he fell, crying out in pain. One of them simply sprinted away from them, all the way down the street, throwing down his gun in the process. Joel laughed when he saw this.

_What a bunch of pussies._ He said to himself. There was still one guy left who wasn't injured or dead, who was crouching behind a car on the opposite side of the road. Joel drove him from his cover with a couple shotgun rounds, and finished him off when he ran.

"Nicely done." He said complimenting Cameron, the two approached the man who was lying face down in the road crying.

"Please, don't kill me!" He begged.

"Oh don't worry, we won't." Joel said picking up the man and dragging him inside a nearby house.

"We have a few questions to ask you." Cameron said as Joel sat the man in a chair and tied him to it.

"Where's the girl?" Joel asked the man.

"What girl?" The man lied. Joel grabbed his handgun and shot him in the kneecap. The man cried out in anguish and started to drift into unconsciousness.

"Look at me." Joel ordered. Lifting the mans head. "I'll ask you one more time, where is she?" Joel repeated.

"In the town, she's David's newest pet." The man whimpered.

"Wrong, fucking answer." Cameron said, stepping up to the man, but Joel pushed him away.

"Where is this town?" Joel asked. The man explained how to get there and again begged for his life.

"That wasn't that hard now was it?" Joel asked him. The man shook his head no and whimpered again. "Good." Joel added, raising his gun and shooting the man in the head.

"Let's go find Ellie." Joel said leaving the house, Cameron close behind him.

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie's head hurt and she didn't know where she was. When she opened her eyes she was lying down on a concrete floor and wherever she was smelled like rotten flesh. She lifted her head and saw that she was in a cage, just outside there was a blood stained table. She looked around the room and saw a bucket filled with human body parts.

"Oh god!" She said out backing up to the wall of her cell.

"Good! You're finally awake." David said stepping out from the shadows of the room. Ellie stared up at him with as much disgust and hatred as she could.

"James! Go get the girl some food." He called out. Ellie heard the slamming of a door as someone left.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her, actually sounding concerned about her well being.

"Super." She lied. James walked into the room with a tray of food and slid it under the cage door.

"You've been out for a long time, you should eat." David suggested. Ellie looked down at the slop in front of her.

"What is it?" She demanded. David looked confused.

"It's the deer." He told her.

"With human on the side?" She asked. David shook his head.

"It's just the deer, I promise." David told her.

"I'm not hungry." Ellie said, pushing the tray back under the door.

"Well then, I guess it's time." David said grabbing keys from his belt.

"What are you going to do? Cut me into little tiny pieces?" She asked him.

"No no, you are much to special to be treated like the rest." David said, a creepy smile forming on his lips. Ellie's stomach dropped as fear filled her. She knew what he meant, and she was going to do everything she could to make sure it didn't happen. David opened the door and grabbed her, while James slipped a gag into her mouth and tied her wrists.

"Much better, don't you think?" David said, getting much closer to her face than Ellie wanted. David dragged her out of the cage with James following close behind them. David opened the door at the far end of the room and pushed her out into the frigid cold. Ellie could barely see outside because the snow was falling so hard. David grabbed her and yanked Ellie down the street.

"You should really stop struggling." David warned. "I don't want anything to happen to you before we get there." James grabbed her other arm and helped David drag her into a house opposite of where her cell was.

"Welcome to my home." David said with a smile. "Now, you can share this with me if you behave yourself _Ellie_." David spit out her name and dropped her on the floor.

"Thank you James, you can go now." Ellie heard the door close and she started to cry.

"Now now, there's no need to cry, I'll take _great_ care of you." David said, ripping the gag out of her mouth.

"Why?" Ellie asked, tears streaming down her face.

"You're are a very, special girl Ellie, you're tough, mature, and beautiful." David answered. Ellie wanted to throw up, but couldn't. She wanted to curl up and die, she'd do anything to keep this creep from violating her.

"Now, I think we should take this to a more suitable place." David said yanking her to her feet and dragging her further into the house.


	16. Chapter 16

The Two of Us Ch.16-Frozen

**Notice: Rape and sexual harassment are a very serious problem, especially when it happens to an underaged victim. Please remember that this is entirely fictitious and I do not in any way think that it is okay to sexually assault/harass/rape an individual.**

~~~Me~~~

"C'mon! We're almost there!" I yelled to Joel, helping him up as he clutched at his side. We had just approached the outer buildings of David's town, and it was a good thing there was a blizzard occurring, because Joel wasn't able to move very fast.

"In here!" I said, dragging him into a building. "Oh fuck! What's that smell?" I asked him as he slammed the door behind us. Joel started retching as a rancid stench filled the air.

"I don't know, but we gotta find Ellie before this guy does something he is going to really regret." Joel said threateningly.

"Well first we've got find her." I said stating the obvious. I pushed open a door and immediately slammed it shut.

"Oh god." I said, almost falling over. I clutched at my stomach, barely able to keep it together after what I had just seen.

"What is it?" Joel asked.

"It's bad Joel, really bad." I answered. Joel pushed open the door and turned his head away, but kept the door open.

"Christ." He muttered under his breath. "Well it's the only way through, so you're going to have to tough it out." Joel told me. He ducked through the door and disappeared into the adjacent room. I took a deep breath and stepped through the door, trying to avoid staring at the hanging bodies in the room. I walked as fast I could and stepped back out into the blizzard.

"Fuck, there's a lot of houses." I said.

"We'll find her, she would've left something, or at he very least make a lot of noise." Joel said gruffly as he started walking down the road.

~~~Ellie~~~

"Ow!" Ellie cried out as David threw her to the bedroom floor.

"Get up, the floor isn't a very comfortable place to be." David said with an evil smile. Ellie stood up with much difficulty, as her hands were still tied behind her back. David gave her a firm shove and sent her sprawling onto the bed in front of her. David straddled her legs and grabbed her ponytail, yanking her head back by her hair and Ellie let out a cry of pain.

"Don't worry Ellie." He whispered into her ear. "I'll make sure I enjoy every second of it." David got off of her and dragged her towards a bedpost and tied her to it. Ellie was sobbing at this point, her whole body ached as she cried. "Now now." David tried reassuring her, stroking her face and wiping away a tear. "There's no need to cry, you might actually enjoy yourself." David said striding into the bathroom. "Let me just clean up first, then we can get started."

"David." Ellie pleaded, stopping him before he closed the door. "Please don't, I promise I'll be good." She said sobbing.

"Oh I know you will, but I've just got make sure." He told her, closing the door behind him. Ellie let out a wail and began crying even harder. Ellie wanted to die, she was exhausted and helpless, and they only thing she could do was wait. Ellie cried herself sleep, scared and helpless.

Ellie awoke to the bed shifting. "Wake-y wake-y little rabbit, it's almost time." She heard David say. Ellie cracked an eye open an saw David sitting next to her on the bed. David leaned over and untied her arms from the bedpost. "Now, be a good girl, and I might let you live and we can have this much fun every day." David said, causing Ellie to visibly become repulsed. "You're a very beautiful girl, Ellie." David informed her. She could feel his hot breath on her neck. "I bet you make your _boyfriend_ very happy, don't you?" David asked.

"I've never- I-" Ellie stammered.

"Ah, I knew it. I bet he never took care of _you_, though." David said, kissing the corner of her mouth. Ellie tried to pull away from him, but he yanked her ponytail and brought her closer. David reached up and held his hand above her body.

"You know Ellie, you never told me how old you were." He stated.

"I doubt it'll change anything." Ellie snapped back. David laughed.

"You're quite right there, but I would still like to know." He told her. Ellie stared at him, unwavering.

"That's fine, I'll guess we'll get right to it then." David said, dropping his hand and gripping her inner thigh. Ellie shrieked and slammed her legs together.

"14!" She called out. David moved his hand off her leg and looked at her. "What?" She asked. "Too young for you maybe?"

"Oh no, you're just the right age." He said, grinning at her. "Do you want to know something Ellie?" He asked her. Ellie didn't answer. "Well, back before all this started, I was about to go to jail, you want to know what for?" He asked. Ellie's stomach dropped and she clamped her legs even harder together. "Just for touching, I got arrested just for touching a little girl that was your age. I don't understand why it was illegal, nature is telling girls your age that it's time to become a mother." Ellie squirmed and whimpered as he said this. "Now then, where were we?" David said, again kissing her, this time on her neck. Ellie shivered, not because she wanted to, her neck was very sensitive.

"There we go, warming up a bit are we?" David asked. Ellie didn't answer, she closed her eyes and was clenching her jaw, she was thinking very unpleasant thoughts to try and ignore David. David again placed his hand on her thigh, gripping her soft flesh through the fabric of her pants. David kneaded and massaged her thigh and Ellie began breathing very deeply.

"Why don't we get a little more comfortable." David said, ripping her coat open. David ripped the material from her body, catching Ellie by accident, cutting her pale skin and leaving a small line of red. David grabbed the bottom of her shirt and rolled it up over her stomach to just below the bottom of her bra. Ellie began to cry again as David moved down her body and kissed her flat tummy. Ellie bucked her body to the side, catching the bottom of David's jaw, making his teeth clack together.

"What happened to being good Ellie?" David asked at her. Ellie closed her eyes as David began to undo her pants, slowly drawing them over her hips and ass and off her legs.

"Stop!" Ellie screamed as one of David's fingers lightly grazed the front of her flesh colored panties. David froze when a noise pierced the sound of the wind outside.

"The hell was that?" David asked getting up. Ellie heard the front door get slammed open. "Who the hell is there?" David called out. Ellie knew this was her chance, she stood up and jumped on David's back, choking him with her wrist bindings.

~~~Me~~~

"Stop!" I heard a muffled voice say from across the street.

"She's in there!" I said pointing to the silhouette of a building across from them. As Joel and I approached the house, I noticed a figure standing outside the door.

"Hey! Who's that?" The figure called, I recognized the voice, it was David's henchman James. I pulled out my gun and fired a shot at the figure, I watched it slump down to the ground.

"There, all clear." I said to Joel.

"It's a good thing ya can't here anything with this damn wind." Joel responded. We ran to the house and slammed the door open.

"Who the hell is there?" I heard David's voice call out.

"She's upstairs, go!" I said to Joel, he ran up the stairs, I was close behind. There was something happening upstairs because something came crashing into the ground. Joel burst through the door at the end of the hallway.

"Fucking die!" I heard Ellie yell as she stabbed him in the throat and face multiple times with a shard of glass.

"Ellie!" Joel yelled, pulling her off of David. I was stood frozen in the doorway, I saw Ellie's clothes strewn about the room.

"Don't fucking touch me!" Ellie yelled.

"Ellie! It's me!" Joel said shaking her and turning her head towards his. Ellie saw Joel and began to cry.

"He-he tried to..." Ellie started but broke down into tears.

"Oh baby girl." Joel said, hugging her.


	17. Chapter 17

The Two of Us Ch.17-Salt Lake City

~~~~**Spring**~~~~

~~~Me~~~

"Ellie!" Joel yelled for the third time, finally getting her attention.

"What?" She asked, turning from the carving she was looking at.

"This is our stop." Joel said pointing to the giant green sign above us that read "Salt Lake City Next Exit". Ellie had been almost completely silent ever since we left Denver, she would maybe say a sentence a day. Joel and I often saw her sitting by herself with her knees drawn up to her chin. Joel started back down the highway and down onto the off ramp.

"Another city, another abandoned quarantine zone." Joel sighed.

"Why did people leave?" I asked, curious.

"Well mostly it would be because the military would leave, then there'd be no one to protect you so the hunters or fireflies took over." He explained as we stepped off the bottom of the ramp onto an old, cracked street. Joel turned right, as it was the only way we could go.

"Shit. We'll have to go through there." Joel said pointing to an open building. Ellie and I followed Joel inside the building. We were in a big room that contained what used to be a QZ checkpoint, there were remnants of stairs on the right that lead to a raised platform. "We need to get up there." Joel said backing up against the wall, beneath the platform. "Alright Ellie, you first." Joel said, but his command fell on deaf ears. I looked at Joel then turned around and saw Ellie sitting on a bench, her head in her hands.

"Ellie?" Joel called out, getting her attention. "Did you hear me?" He asked.

"No I-right I go first." She said stepping into his hands and grabbing the ledge as he boosted her up.

"No way!" Ellie said in amazement as she stood at the top.

"Ellie?" We both yelled as she kicked a ladder down and took off out of sight. Joel placed the ladder against the wall and I climbed it hurriedly.

"Ellie?" I yelled as I stood at the top of the platform, Joel standing up behind me.

"You guys gotta see this!" I heard her yell excitedly. I ran after her, leaving Joel behind me. I saw her at the end of a hallway looking out a window.

"Ellie?" I called out.

"No fucking way." She muttered. "C'mon! You guys are going to miss it!" She yelled running through another door. I followed through the doorway out into a room where the outer wall had been destroyed. Ivy grew through the hole, and had attracted the attention of a giraffe who was happily munching away.

"Wow." I whispered, standing beside Ellie. Ellie smiled at me, it was the first time in a month she had smiled. Joel strode into the room and looked at the giraffe.

"Watch this." Joel instructed, slowly approaching the giraffe with his hand extended.

"Don't scare it!" Ellie said worriedly.

"I won't." Joel replied, reaching out and petting the large animal. "C'mere." Joel said, motioning for us to come towards him. Ellie timidly approached the giraffe and touched its cheek, letting out a soft giggle.

"So fucking cool." She whispered. I reached out and pet the giraffe's neck, amazed at how soft it felt, until the animal was finished eating and left the opening to follow its herd.

"Let's go! Through here!" Ellie said, throwing open a metal door that lead to the roof. I watched her run to the low concrete barrier and sit down on it, her legs dangling over the edge. I joined Ellie on the ledge, enjoying the view of the overgrown city and the giraffes grazing in the field in front of us. Joel stood beside Ellie, his hands on top of the barrier, looking out over the dilapidated yet still beautiful landscape of the city.

"This everything you hoped for?" Joel asked us. Ellie looked at me, smiling, she grabbed my hand, clasping it tightly.

"Its had its up and downs, but you can't deny the view." She replied. Joel looked at me, waiting for my response.

"It is so much more than what I had hoped for." I answered. Joel stepped away from the barrier and wandered towards the stairwell, stopping before opening the door as Ellie and I stood back up.

"We don't have to do this, you know that right?" He asked us. Ellie shook her head.

"What would we do?" She asked.

"Just turn around and go back to Tommy's just be done with this whole damn thing." Joel replied.

"After all we've been through. After all I've done. It can't be for nothing." She said, opening the door and starting down the stairs. I watched Joel, who stood staring at the last of the giraffes as they wandered away.

"Joel?" I said as I started down the steps. He regained his composure and followed me down the stairs.

"Look." Ellie started. "I know you mean well, but there's no halfway with this. We can't just quit now."

"She's right Joel, we can't turn back now, not when we're so close." I said in agreement.

"Well let's go wrap this up then." Joel sighed. Joel seemed very upset, but I couldn't figure out why he'd be upset when he was so close to not having to deal with us anymore. We exited the stairwell into a flat courtyard with old medical tents and a checkpoint that had been abandoned long ago.

"I remember ending up in a triage just like this right after the outbreak." Joel told us sadly. "Everywhere you looked, you just saw families torn apart. It was like the whole damn world had been turned upside down."

"Joel?" Ellie said quietly. Joel turned to look at her, sadness filled his eyes. "Was this after you lost Sarah?" She asked him.

"Yes." He said taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about your daughter, Joel." Ellie said. Joel took a deep breath.

"It's all right Ellie." He told her, turning and walking away. I looked over at Ellie, then dropped my backpack and opened it.

"Joel. I uh, I got something for you." I called out to him, he stopped and turned as I approached him. "Tommy gave this to me. I thought I should give it to you." I said, holding out a picture of a younger Joel and daughter. Joel took a deep ragged breath and put the picture away.

"Well, I guess no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your past. Thank you." Joel told me, turning back around and continuing down the road. There was a sign down at the end of the road that read "St Mary's Access" and lead to a tunnel. We entered the tunnel, and I instantly sensed that something was wrong.

"Joel?" I whispered.

"Shh. There's infected up ahead." He shot back. Sure enough, I could here the faint moaning of several infected deeper in the tunnel.

"Nothing can ever be easy, can it?" Ellie asked.

"It's the world we live in." Joel responded, shrugging. "Now let's get a move on." He added, climbing over a truck and dropping off the edge into the tunnel. I heard a splash as he hit the ground. "Shit, this ain't going to help." Joel said angrily as Ellie and I hopped off the truck into the shallow water. The water wasn't very deep, only an inch or two of it covered the ground, but it still made a lot of noise. We slowly inched forward, trying not to make to much noise as we got closer to the moaning and screaming.

"Up here." Joel ordered, stepping onto a ledge that was above the water. The ledge led along the outer wall of the tunnel, and around most of the infected. There were a lot of infected in the tunnel, they all congregated in the middle though because of all the noise they made in the water. We slowly made our way along the wall, being careful not to make to much noise. I could see where we needed to go, it was only about a hundred feet away, it was a semi that had blocked off the rest of the tunnel. We had almost reached it when a part of the ledge broke off and slipped into the water, getting the attention of one infected, then another until they had all started charging.

"Run!" Joel yelled, sprinting towards the semi-truck. Joel put his back to the trailer, and boosted Ellie up to the top without her ever slowing down. I did the same, propelling myself up to the top and reaching down for Joel.

"C'mon Joel! Grab my hand!" I yelled at him, he jumped and grabbed my hand, pulling himself up while also using an infected's face as a stepping stone. The infected below crashed into the trucks trailer over and over, still trying to reach us.

"Oh man. That was too close." Ellie said breathing heavily.

"We're safe here though. I think." Joel said nervously, glancing back down at the horde below us.

"Can we just go?" I asked.

"The yeah, that's probably the best idea." He agreed, hopping off the truck. We continued through the tunnel, leaving the horde far behind, until the only sound we could here was our steps and breathing. I soon heard something else as we got further into the tunnel.

"Is that, water?" I asked Joel as the noise got louder.

"More like a river." He corrected me as he stood at the edge of the destroyed tunnel, staring at the rushing past below us.

"Oh shit." I heard Ellie mutter as she approached the edge. The river was moving very swiftly, and appeared rather shallow based on the different objects I saw above the water.

"Well we have to get across, to get to the hospital." Joel said, looking downstream for something we could use to cross the river.

"Um, could that bus work?" I asked pointing upstream to a bus that had been jammed across the walls of the collapsed tunnel.

"Yeah it will, let's just hope it stays." Joel answered.

"It better, because I can't swim." Ellie added as we walked to where the bus met our side of the tunnel. Joel lowered himself onto the bus and it let out a low creek.

"I think it's fine, we should go one at at a time." Joel suggested, slowly crossing the bus to the other side. Joel reached the other side and pulled himself up onto the road. "Alright Ellie! You're up next!" He called from the opposite of the river. Ellie glanced at me nervously.

"You'll be fine, if anything happens, I'll jump in after you." I said, trying to comfort her.

"I know, it's just... Never mind." Ellie said, lowering herself onto the bus. The bus lurched violently as she dropped onto it. Ellie stood and slowly started walking along it when the bus started groaning loudly.

"Shit!" I heard Ellie yell as the bus started sliding downstream slowly.

"Ellie! Hurry!" Joel yelled as she started to run towards him, but it was no use. As she was about to reach Joel, the bus dislodged from the walls of the collapsed part of the tunnel, throwing Ellie from the bus into the water.

"Ellie!" Joel and I both yelled as the bus slid off downriver. I jumped into the river after her, the freezing water nearly shocking me into unconsciousness. I was swept downriver after her, panicking slightly as the ceiling of the tunnel got closer and closer, until I was plunged completely underwater, the river now running completely underground. I slammed into a rock and spun off into a different part of the river. This side of the fork was almost completely calm and I started swimming further down, until I discovered that this side of the fork led to a bank of the river. I lunged upward and saw Ellie floating unconscious near the bank. I swam towards her and heard someone surface behind me, it was Joel. I grabbed Ellie's limp body and drug her to the concrete shore, laying her on the ground.

"Move!" Joel ordered, pushing me aside as he reached Ellie. He folded his hands together and placed them on her chest, pushing down on her, trying to resuscitate her.

"Hands up!" I heard someone yell from in front of us. I looked up and saw two soldiers in firefly uniforms.

"She ain't breathin'." Joel said, continuing to try and bring her back.

"I said, hands up!" The soldier ordered, approaching us. When Joel didn't stop, the soldier lunged at him and hit him in the head with the butt of his assault rifle, effectively knocking him out. I put my hands up, behind my head.

"You've got to save her." I pleaded with the soldier.

"Oh yeah? Why?" He asked, grabbing my arms and handcuffing me.

"Marlene's been expecting us, that's why." I explained, sliding the firefly pendant Marlene gave me out of my back pocket with my finger.

"Call for help!" He ordered the other soldier, and dropped to his knees trying to save Ellie.


	18. Chapter 18

The Two of Us Ch.18-Deception

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie had no idea what was going on, the last thing she remembered was crossing a river, and now she was strapped into a hospital bed while doctors did different thing to her, mostly giving her shots or taking samples. She continually asked what they were doing, but no one gave her an answer. Ellie started panicking until Marlene entered the room.

"Hey Ellie." Marlene said calmly, approaching Ellie's bed, shooing away the doctors.

"Oh, we made it." Ellie said relieved.

"Well, you made it." Marlene told Ellie.

"What- what do you mean _I_ made it?" Ellie stammered.

"We found you by yourself, there was no trace of Joel or Cameron where we found you." Marlene informed her. Ellie could feel sadness welling up inside her.

"They're... Dead?" Ellie croaked, tears started to flow down her face.

"We don't know, there hasn't been any bodies found downriver yet." Marlene explained, but it didn't matter to Ellie, she knew that they had to have drowned following her into the river. Ellie cried and cried as Marlene tried to comfort her, telling Ellie that it was going to be alright. Ellie cried until her eyes were dry and she felt she couldn't cry anymore.

"So what happens now?" Ellie asked Marlene, hiccuping as she she asked.

"For us to find a cure, we have to remove the fungus, the only problem is, that the fungus grows on the brain and the surgery would most likely be fatal." Marlene told her trying not start crying herself.

"So I'll save everyone, but I have to die?" Ellie asked. Marlene nodded. "Well, they sacrificed themselves for me, now I'll sacrifice myself, for everyone else, and maybe I'll be able to see them again." Ellie said, starting to cry again. The thought of going to sleep and never waking up again scared her, but it was necessary.

"Are you sure?" Marlene asked her.

"Yes." Ellie stated. "They can't have died for nothing."

"Well then, I'll get the surgeons in here right away." Marlene told her, getting up. "I wanted to let you know Ellie, you are the bravest person I know and that I always loved you like the daughter I never had." Marlene said sincerely, a tear sliding down her face. "Goodbye Ellie, your sacrifice will never be forgotten." Marlene said closing the door. Ellie lay in the bed with her thoughts, a million different emotions filled her from fear, to contempt. Ellie shivered as the surgeons entered the room with various kinds of equipment and tools. She was hooked up to many different machines, trying to stay calm the entire time.

"Alright Ellie, I'm going to put the IV in, once I do that, let us know that you're ready, because once you go under, that'll be that." One of the doctors explained as she inserted a needle into the crook of her arm. Ellie stared off out a nearby window, looking out at Salt Lake City.

"What was the city like before all this started?" Ellie asked no one in particular. The doctors glanced at each other nervously.

"Um, well it was very busy, people were everywhere, no one was trying to kill anyone else. The world was a much more beautiful place, especially at night, the city would be illuminated and you could see the lights for miles. It was amazing." One of them explained.

"If I do this, will it go back to the way it was?" Ellie asked.

"Once we find the cure, we will make sure it goes back to how it was before." The doctor assured her. Ellie took a deep breath.

"I'm ready." She told them, her voice quivering. Ellie watched the clear IV tube start to pump a liquid into her body, almost instantly causing her head to spin.

"I want to you count backwards from ten Ellie, can you do that?" One doctor asked as the room started to spin.

"10, 9, 8, 7." Ellie counted, she heard some commotion in the hall, but didn't know what was going on.

"6, 5, 4, 3." Ellie heard some shouting outside, but it wasn't any voice she recognized.

"2, 1." She finished, outside she heard a person yell. "No!" Ellie recognized the voice immediately.

"Cameron?" She called out as her world faded to black.

~~~Joel~~~

Joel awoke on a hospital bed, his head hurt and he didn't know where he was. He looked around and saw Cameron standing at his bedside, and Marlene in the doorway of the room.

"Sorry about your head." Marlene apologized as Joel sat up. "They didn't know who you were."

"You okay?" Cameron asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where's Ellie?" Joel asked.

"You don't have to worry, she's fine." Marlene told him.

"No, I worry." Joel shot back. Marlene took a deep breath.

"She's awake, we saved her just in time." Marlene explained.

"So can we see her now?" Cameron asked Marlene.

"No." Marlene said. "She's being prepped for surgery."

"Wait, you didn't even talk to me about having any surgery." Cameron said angrily.

"Ellie wanted to do it." Marlene told them.

"What kind of surgery?" Joel asked. Marlene looked around nervously.

"We have to remove the fungus from her body so we can examine it." Marlene explained.

"Wait, doesn't the fungus grow on the brain?" Cameron asked, stepping towards her. Marlene gulped.

"It does." She answered simply. Cameron turned and looked at Joel, disbelief on his face.

"You- but- She'll die!" Cameron exclaimed, his voice rising.

"I'm sorry, but she already made up her mind." Marlene told him.

"I bet you left out the part where she doesn't wake up though." Cameron accused her.

"I explained to her that the surgery is fatal, she told me she had to do it, for all of us." Marlene responded. Cameron was about to lunge at her when two guards stepped into the room.

"I think it's time for you two to leave." Marlene said as the guards grabbed Joel and Cameron, dragging them out the hospital room door, throwing them to the ground in the hallway.

"Don't think about coming back here." Marlene warned us, the guards drawing their weapons. "Your gear is outside."

"You will pay for this." Cameron threatened stepping towards Marlene. The guards shouted and raised their weapons.

"Let's go." Joel said, stepping backwards, grabbing Cameron and dragging him down the hallway.

"No!" Cameron yelled.


	19. Chapter 19

The Two of Us Ch.19-Here Without You

**A/N The title of this chapter comes from the song by 3 doors down. **

~~~Me~~~

"No!" I yelled as Joel grabbed me, dragging me away from Marlene. "Don't fucking touch her! I'll fucking kill all of you!" I threatened them. Joel continued dragging me away towards the exit, pushing the door open and throwing me to the ground outside.

"Get ahold of yourself!" He ordered, tossing me my bag.

"Joel they'll kill her!" I shot back, sitting up.

"We can't just go in there trying to save her! They'll kill us!" Joel yelled at me. The realization of Joel's words stung, I could feel myself start to cry.

_A hundred days have made me older_

_Since the last time that I saw your_

_Pretty face_

_"_We can't just let her die._" _I said to Joel, as I started to cry.

"I wish there was something I could do, but it's hopeless." Joel told me. I looked up at him, I wondered how this man could just leave someone to die.

"How are you okay with this?" I asked him.

"I told you already, if I could stop this, I would." He answered. "Now c'mon, I'm not going back to Tommy's without either of you." He said gruffly, pulling me to my feet.

_A thousand lies have made me colder_

_And I don't think I can look at this the same_

Isulked behind Joel, following him as he walked away from the hospital. The only thing I wanted right now was to just hold her forever, never let her go. Marlene and the fireflies just took the one of the only things on this god forsaken planet that I loved. My body shook as we navigated the city, until Joel brought us into a building for the night.

_But all the miles that separate_

_Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face_

I sat down on the floor of the building, shaking violently, feeling very sick. I could feel Joel watching me.

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you, baby_

_And I dream about you all the time_

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight it's only you and me, yeah._

"I wish there was something we could do, but it's suicide if we go back." Joel said. I turned to look at him, tears stained my face, anger boiling inside of me.

"Is that all you fucking care about? Living? Maybe you are just a heartless bitch, you're not any better than those fucking hunters." I spat at him, standing to face the older man. I saw something snap inside Joel, he shoved me to the ground.

"Don't you ever, compare me to those fucking sacks of shit." Joel warned, a newfound anger burning in his eyes. I smiled at him, knowing that he was breaking.

"How's it going to feel to lose another daughter Joel? Just think, both their deaths were your fault, you could've saved them, but you let them die." I accused him as he had started to back away from me. Joel got an insane look in his eyes. He kneeled down over me, placing his hands around my throat, trying to strangle me.

"You don't know me." Joel said seething with rage.

"Ellie once told me, that you were like her Dad." I croaked out in a strangled gasp. Joel wasn't listening anymore. "You can still help this one Joel." I said, starting to feel lightheaded as the room started spinning. Joel released me, standing quickly and staring at his hands.

"You- but- I-" Joel stammered.

"You can make it right, if we die trying, you'll end up seeing them both anyway." I told him. Joel stared at me blankly.

"You really believe that shit?" Joel asked. "It's too late Cameron, we lost. All we can do now is leave and hope that something good comes of this."

"How? How can you even say that?" I asked him, my tears starting to return.

"Let's get some sleep, we leave here tomorrow." Joel said brushing me off. Joel rolled out a blanket and lay down on it. I stayed in my position on the ground, sitting back with my arms supporting me and me legs up. I collapsed onto the ground as emotions overcame me and drove me to exhaustion. I cried until it hurt, wishing that Joel would help me get her back, that I could get her back. I seriously considered killing myself while Joel slept near me, it's not like he would care.

_The miles just keep rollin'_

_As the people leave their way to say hello_

_I've heard this life is overrated_

_But I hope that it gets better as we go, oh, yeah, yeah_

I fell asleep in the depth of my depression, hugging my backpack against my body.

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you, baby_

_And I dream about you all the time_

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight, girl, its only you and me_

Iawoke and was Joel already packed and ready to leave.

"I know that you don't care Joel, but I do, and with or without your help, I will get her back somehow." I continued, grabbing my bag and putting it on. Joel examined me as I walked past him towards the exit.

"This is it Joel, I wish I could say that you were like a father to me, but a father can feel." I said to him, leaving him behind with his own thoughts.

_Everything I know, and anywhere I go_

_It gets hard but it won't take away my love_

_And when the last one falls_

_When it's all said and done_

_It gets hard but it wont take away my love, whoa, oh, oh_

I walked down the abandoned street, back towards the hospital. I felt sad, anxious, and excited all at the same time, because it was possible that somehow I could live through this.

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still on my lonely mind_

_I think about you, baby_

_And I dream about you all the time_

_I'm here without you, baby_

_But you're still with me in my dreams_

_And tonight, girl, it's only you and me_

I reached the hospital and stood before a side entrance, staring at the door, I knew I had to do this. Just as I was about to go forward into the building, I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Joel.

"I can't let you do this Cameron." Joel stated. I glared at him. "Alone anyways." He said with a small, wicked smile creeping onto his lips. He drew his shotgun, and handed me his handgun, so along with my own, I had one for each hand. I nodded at him.

"Alright, let's do this then." I said, stepping through the door, and saw a guard turn towards us.


	20. Chapter 20

The Two of Us Ch.20 - Vengeance

~~~Me~~~

I kicked open the metal door, causing the nearest couple of guards to whip around. I quickly shot both of them, their lifeless bodies dropping to the ground with a dull thud. I heard shouting from down the hallway and saw the fireflies come running from different directions.

"This is going to be one hell of a fight." Joel said, ducking behind an open door. I ran to the other side of the hall, throwing open a large metal door for cover across from Joel.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I peeked around the side of the door and I saw a shot whizzed just inches past my face. I reached into my bag and pulled out a Molotov I had prepped from earlier. I looked over at Joel who gave a slight nod. I light the rag and waited for it to burn down some. I waited for Joel to poke his shotgun out from behind the door and fire off a couple of shots, getting their heads down and I used this time to throw the Molotov down the hallway and watched the hallway erupt in flames and screams. I shot out from behind my cover and took out a firefly who was trying to help a burning one.

"It's clear!" I yelled to Joel.

"It won't be, we have to get out of here." Joel remarked. We ran down the hallway towards where Marlene had gone earlier. I pushed my way through the door, only to be grabbed by a firefly.

"Get back!" He yelled, holding a gun to my head and backing away from Joel. I watched another guard come up behind and grab him. I struggled against the man holding me as Joel struggled with his. I dropped my gun, distracting my captor for a moment, giving me the opportunity to reverse him and threw him to the ground. The mans gun clattered from his hands and I saw fear fill his eyes as I wielded my knife.

"You shouldn't have made this so hard on yourself." I said maniacally as I brought the knife into his throat. I got off his convulsing body and went to help Joel. Joel was in a tricky situation, both men were unable to move because of the way there bodies were. I grabbed my gun off the ground and shot the firefly in the head.

"Thanks." Joel said, brushing himself off.

"We're not done yet." I pointed out, turning and running towards a door with the label SURGERY above it. I burst through the door, weapon drawn and saw Ellie lying on an operating table. There were three surgeons around her who all stared at me as I burst through the door, startled expressions on their faces.

"What are you doing here?" One asked, backing away from Ellie.

"Get the fuck out of the way." I said, jerking my gun to the side.

"I'm not going to let you take her." The doctor said nervously.

"I don't have time for your shit." I replied, shooting the doctor in the head, causing the other two to run from the room. I rushed over to Ellie and disconnected the tubes and needles from her body.

"Can you carry her?" I asked Joel. Joel grabbed Ellie's limp body, cradling her in his arms.

"We need to get to the garage in the lower level." Joel instructed as we left through another door.

"Right, so find an elevator." I said as we ran from the operation room. I heard shouting behind us as we ran through the halls.

"There!" Joel pointed out the elevator at the end of the hallway. We ran for it, I smashed the button that B1 over and over, the doors closing painfully slow. When the doors had closed all the way, Joel slumped against the wall of the elevator.

"I can't believe we did it." I said relieved.

"We still have to get away, hopefully they still got a truck down here." Joel replied nervously. The elevator doors opened with a ding. Joel pressed a red button on the control and stepped out from the elevator.

"You can't save her." I heard a voice say, it was Marlene. "Even if you get her out of here, then what? How long until she's torn to pieces by a pack of clickers, that is if she hasn't been raped or murdered first?" Marlene asked us. Joel protectively readjusted his grip on Ellie.

"Look." Marlene started, putting her gun on the ground. "You can still do the right thing." Joel and I still remained quiet.

"It's what she'd want, and you know it." Marlene said. Joel's expression changed to one of complete understanding. Joel took a step towards Marlene, extending Ellie's limp body out towards her.

"Joel what are...?" I started to ask, but was interrupted by a loud bang and Marlene collapsed. Joel looked surprised by his own action, and hurried to the nearest car, leaving me next to Marlene. I approached her, my grip tightening on the handle of my gun.

"Wait!" Marlene begged. "Let me go." She pleaded. I shook my head.

"You'd just come after her." I said, pulling the trigger and ending what Joel had started. I holstered my gun and ran towards Joel's new car, climbing in the back with Ellie's unconscious body, lying her head on my lap as Joel pulled out from the parking garage and drove away from the hospital.

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie was very confused by why everything was so bright.

"Where the hell...?" She started to ask while opening her eyes and seeing Cameron looking down at her. She shot up, getting near level with Cameron's face.

"Hey." Cameron said with a smile. Ellie kissed him, hard, her emotions overwhelming her, happiness and relief flooded her and she started to cry as she passionately kissed Cameron. She broke their kiss and buried her face in his shoulder.

"You okay?" Cameron asked, peeling her off of him and looking her in the eyes.

"No! They-they said you died." Ellie told them.

"Those motherfuckers." Joel exclaimed.

"They told us you wanted to do the surgery no matter what, even if would kill you." Cameron said, anger filling his voice.

"I only said yes because they said you'd both died." Ellie admitted, starting to cry.

"Ellie." Cameron started. "I will _never_, leave you by yourself. Ellie started to cry harder at his words.

"Promise?" She finally asked. Cameron smiled at her, his blue eyes sparkling.

"It will always be _**The Two of Us**_, together, I promise."


	21. Chapter 21

The Two of Us Ch.21 - Home Again

~~~Ellie~~~

Ellie stood next to the truck, fingering the scar on her arm, thinking about what Joel had told her about the fireflies. She wanted to believe him, but deep down, she couldn't.

"Well, guess we're walking." Joel sighed, slamming the hood of the truck down. Ellie pulled down her sleeve as Cameron came around the other side of the truck.

"What's the matter?" He asked her, slipping his hand into hers.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Ellie told him.

"If you don't want to tell me, just say it, I can tell something's wrong Ellie." He responded, his cheery smile fading.

"I'm sorry, it's just... Never mind." Ellie said.

"Okay, just let me know if you do want to talk." He said as they followed Joel into the woods. Ellie stared up at the tall trees, she could see patches of blue sky above the tops of them. Joel rambled on about something, but Ellie wasn't listening. Ellie's mind wandered as the woods cleared to small stream and the top of a small plateau. Off where the stream tumbled down the hill, Ellie could see Jackson in the distance. Joel heaved himself on top of the raised earth and helped Ellie up. She stood, looking out over the town and the vast forest that stretched farther than she could see. She heard Joel grunt as he helped pull Cameron onto the plateau.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Cameron asked, standing next to her. Ellie dropped her gaze and stared at the ground in front of her. She looked up to see Joel and Cameron starting down the hill.

"Hey wait." Ellie called out, causing them to both stop and turn towards her. Ellie let out a long sigh.

"Back in Boston, back when I got bit. I wasn't alone. My best friend was there and she got bit too." Ellie told them. She noticed Joel cross his arms over his chest.

"We didn't know what to do, so she said, 'Let's just wait it out, y'know be all poetic and just lose our minds together. I'm still waiting for my turn."

"Ellie..." They both started.

"Her name was Riley and she was the first to die, then Tess."

"Ellie, it wasn't your fault." Joel told her. "Look, I struggled for a long time with survivin' and... And no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for." He added. "Now I know that's..."

"Swear to me." Ellie cut him off. "Swear to me that everything you said about the fireflies was true." Joel looked over nervously at Cameron.

"I swear." Joel lied, and Ellie knew it.

"Okay." Ellie said, angrily stomping off down the hill towards Jackson. She could hear Joel and Cameron arguing behind her and she felt herself start to cry. She couldn't believe they could lie to her like that.

"Ellie wait!" Cameron called out, grabbing her shoulder and turning her around. She stared at him, tears in her eyes and anger burning inside her. "I'm sorry that Joel lied to you, but don't be mad at him, please? If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me because I was the one who couldn't leave you. Joel tried to stop me, but- but I couldn't leave you for dead." Cameron explained. Ellie could feel warm tears slide down her face. She embraced Cameron, sobbing into his shoulder and catching him off guard.

"Thank you, all I wanted was the truth." Ellie cried as Cameron returned her embrace.

"I thought you'd be furious. I know that you wanted to save the world, but I couldn't live without you." Cameron admitted.

"I am angry. It was a very selfish thing to do Cameron." Ellie said, pulling away from him.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't leave you because I..."

"Don't." Ellie cut him off. "Don't you dare say that."

"I don't...? Why?" Cameron asked confused.

"I already know that you do, but this world is too fucked up for words to mean anything anymore. The only thing that means anything, is what you do, not what you say." Ellie told him.

"Uh, okay?" Cameron said, scratching his head.

"To be honest, I'm glad you came back to get me." Ellie admitted as Joel brushed past them down the hill.

"We should probably go." Cameron suggested, following Joel down the hill. Ellie followed after him on their way into Jackson.

~~~~Me~~~~

"Oh my god!" Maria exclaimed, running out to meet us, sweeping Ellie and me up into a hug.

"I'm so glad you guys are okay." Maria said releasing us.

"It's good to be back Maria." Ellie replied smiling. I looked over at Joel at Tommy who were quietly discussing something.

"Cameron? Did you hear me?" Maria asked.

"Sorry, what?" I apologized.

"I asked how it went." Maria said.

"Oh, well we should probably sit down for this, it might take a while." I told her. Maria and Tommy walked us back to their home and let us inside.

"You guys want to clean up first? It's just about dinner time so you can do your storytelling then." Tommy said, turning and walking further into the house. I glanced at Ellie who staring back at me.

"Ladies first." I chuckled, gesturing towards the bathroom.

"What lady? You must be confused." Ellie replied, stepping into the bathroom and shutting the door behind herself. I laughed at her remark and walked to the living, joining Joel in sitting on the couch.

"Good to be back, isn't it Joel?" I asked him. Joel grunted out an inaudible reply, while staring straight ahead at a blank wall.

"You okay?" I asked, somewhat worried by Joel's expression.

"What?" He asked confused. "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"Are you sure Joel? You don't look too good." I told him.

"I said I'm fine." He shot back angrily, standing up and storming out of the room.

"Yeesh!" I scoffed, stretching my arms up over my head, popping my back and neck, releasing weeks of built up tension in a single movement. I could never tell what Joel was thinking or feeling, I could with Ellie, it was impossible not to tell what she felt. Joel on the other hand, trusted no one with his feelings, not even himself. _Someday it is going destroy him._ I thought to myself, slipping off my worn out shoes and backpack to lay out flat on the bed. I closed my eyes, reliving the events of the past year in my mind until I felt a weight drop onto my lap. My eyes shot open and I saw Ellie, her hair and face clean of any grime and dirt, she looked beautiful to me. She placed her hands on my chest, gently rubbing tension from my muscles.

"You need to relax." Ellie told me.

"I need a shower." I replied. "And a drink." I chuckled.

"Good luck talking your way into that." Ellie said.

"Shit. You mean they won't let me? I used to drink all the time with my Dad. It's really the only thing we enjoyed doing together until he got drunk off his ass and my Mom took our drinks away." I told her. I thought of all those times, it seemed like a different life.

"Sounds like fun." She responded sarcastically.

"Whatever. Now get off, I need to shower." I said, giving her ass a quick swat.

"Fine." Ellie replied, giving me a long kiss before getting off of me. "There's spare clothes in the basket underneath the sink for you." She added, striding into the kitchen. I watched her go, then stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind myself. I looked in the mirror and was surprised by my appearance. First of all, I looked completely exhausted, secondly, I looked much older, the facial hair and layers of muck didn't help, I also needed a hair cut. I hadn't looked at myself for a long while, and I had almost forgotten what I had looked like. I looked away from the mirror and stripped out of my clothes, if you could call them that, and stepped into the shower. The hot water eased my aching muscles and slightly rejuvenated me, at least I wouldn't fall asleep at dinner now. I found a razor blade under the sink, as well as the extra clothes Ellie had mentioned. I carefully shave my face before getting dressed and leaving the steamy bathroom for the dining room.

"Finally, maybe you could've taken longer." Tommy joked. I just glared at him.

"Okay... Someone's grumpy." Ellie said.

"Sorry, I'm just exhausted." I apologized to Tommy.

"I understand. You hungry?" He asked, setting out a bowl of soup in front of Ellie and a bowl next to her.

"Starving. Thanks Tommy." I said, sitting down next to Ellie and devouring my soup. I didn't say a word until Maria sat down across from me.

"Can you tell me what happened now?" She asked.

"Yeah, so..." I started.

"I want to tell her!" Ellie interrupted. She then proceeded to retell the events of our journey from the time we left Jackson to now. Maria started crying when Ellie described her experience in Denver, and once again when Ellie retold the story of Salt Lake City. Once she had finished, Maria stood and hugged Ellie, comforting her and apologizing for everything that happened to her.

"I've got an idea." Tommy said suddenly.

"What Tommy?" Maria asked him.

"I say we throw a party for them, it's the least we could do and God knows they deserve to have a good time after the shit they went through." He suggested.

"That sounds fine to me, what do you guys think?" Maria asked.

"That would be great." Ellie answered.

"I agree." I added.

"Wait. Where's Joel?" Ellie asked.

"He's upstairs sleeping already, didn't want to talk." Tommy explained.

"Well I think you two need some rest too, so shoo, I'll clean up." Maria said, pushing us out of the kitchen.

"A party, I've never been to a party before." Ellie admitted, slipping her hand into mine as we walked to our room.

"Neither have I. I don't even have any nice clothes to wear." I added.

"I didn't think about that. I'm sure Maria will come up with something." Ellie said, laying down in the bed. I joined her and she snuggled up against my body, resting her head on my chest.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Ellie said, mindlessly stroking my stomach.

"We can if you want to." I told her.

"I think Maria'd have something to say about it." Ellie chuckled.

"Yeah because we'll have to work around the town soon." I said, running my fingers through her hair. I heard Ellie sigh as she closed her eyes and we drifted off to sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

The Two of Us Ch.22 - Stolen Dance

**Notice: The title is one of my favorite songs by ****_Milky Chance_****.**

~~~Me~~~

When I awoke, I still could feel Ellie's body curled up against my own. I carefully exited the bed, making sure to not wake her as I left and got dressed. I stumbled out the door, still groggy and rubbing sleep from my eyes.

"Morning." Maria said as I walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning."

"Y'know, I realized that your birthday was just a little after you guys left. I have something I want to give you, c'mon follow me." She explained stepping away from the kitchen. She poked her head into the living room and called out. "Tommy, can you watch breakfast and make sure it doesn't burn?" I could hear a grunt in reply.

"Great! C'mon let's go." Maria said with a hint of childish excitement. Maria led us down the hallway and had me wait outside their bedroom while she searched for my gift.

"Here." Maria said thrusting a small box into my hands. I looked at her somewhat confused, but I opened the box and pulled out a diamond ring. The ring itself wasn't exactly expensive looking, it was rather plain. The ring was a single, silver band inlaid with a few low quality diamonds and a diamond of higher quality rested between them.

"Maria...?" I started to ask.

"It was your Grandma's. Use it when the time is right, if you have any questions just ask Tommy." Maria told me. I examined the ring as Maria walked back towards the kitchen.

"Oh, you should probably wake up your girlfriend because breakfast is ready." She added. I brushed past her, making my way towards our room. I opened the door to see Ellie half naked and getting dressed. She jumped when she saw me.

"Did I scare you?" I asked, admiring her form.

"I thought it was Joel again." She admitted, lowering the shirt she had covered herself with.

"What do you mean again?" I asked her, suddenly confused.

"Last time we were here, Joel walked in on me getting dressed."

"And you didn't give the old man a heart attack?" I teased her.

"Thanks, but no, I didn't. In fact I think I disturbed him a bit." She replied.

"Yeah right, no one can be disturbed by you!" I told her as she pulled the shirt over her head.

"Thanks." She said, wriggling her hips as she pulled her pants on. "What's that?" She asked, motioning to the box in my hand.

"Oh nothing, just something Maria gave to me as a present. By the way breakfast is ready." I told her, slipping the box into my backpack and following her out the door.

Most of the day was uneventful, Maria shooed Ellie, Joel, and I out of the house as they set up for our party. Joel still seemed upset, although I wasn't sure why. Ellie and I walked around town, talking with the townsfolk and each other while Joel went to help out with the watchmen. I was surprised by how people around our age were in Jackson, I guess when you're somewhere safe you can have kids knowing that you will be able to raise them.

"Is that a school?" Ellie asked pointing to a building where a mass of little kids were playing outside.

"I think so, I don't see many older kids out there though." I replied, noticing that most of the children appeared between the ages of six and ten.

"That's because once you turn 11 you have to start working." A voice said from behind us. I turned and saw a short, stocky kid with long blonde hair.

"I'm Brad, you must the Tommy's guests?" He asked us, keeping his gaze trained on Ellie. Ellie shifted uncomfortably and tightened her hold on my hand while grabbing my arm with her free hand.

"That's correct. I'm Cameron, this is my girlfriend Ellie." I answered, watching him and as he stepped toward us.

"Relax, no one here will hurt you, we just want to talk." He said. I heard footsteps behind me and saw two more guys step out from behind us.

"I think we should go." I told him, pulling Ellie with me as I tried walking away.

"Well I don't think we've heard enough about you're lovely lady friend there." He said. "You can do better than that guy." He added, stepping towards Ellie. There was an audible **_CRACK_** as Ellie punched him in the face, breaking his nose and sending him reeling backwards.

"Fuck!" Brad exclaimed, clutching his bleeding face as he stumbled to the ground. "I tried playing nice, get 'em!" He yelled. I turned as one of the boys behind me lunged at Ellie, but not before I caught his throat with an elbow, knocking him to ground, wheezing. I turned to face the other one as he got his into a fighting stance.

"Cheap shots don't win fight, let's see what you can do fuck face." The other exclaimed.

"I don't think you want to do this." I replied, returning a more defensive stance. He lunged at me swinging, I easily sidestepped his blow and swiftly punched him in the stomach. This kid may have been bigger than me, but he hadn't been through the shit I had. The kid stepped backward, a little fazed from my hit, but not enough to stop himself from charging at me. I stepped to the side and kneed him in the stomach while hitting him in the neck, sending him sprawling to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Cameron!" Ellie called out pointing behind me. I turned in time to feel my face explode in pain, I staggered backward as my assailant continued hitting me in the body. I regained my composure for long enough to grab his arm and twist it around, pulling him towards me, punching him in the face and throwing him to the ground when there was a sickening **_SNAP_** as he hit the ground and he cried out in pain. I turned to Ellie and grabbed her hand, running my from the fight and pulling her behind me. We stopped when I thought we were far enough from the group of boys.

"Cameron your face!" Ellie exclaimed, stopping me and touching my face.

"I've had worse, it won't even bruise, now lets get home." I reassured her as we continued down the road.

"Oh my god! What happened?" Maria asked as we entered their house.

"Some guys were making Ellie uncomfortable, I asked them to stop, they tried to fight me and got in one good hit." I explained.

"Who was it?" She asked.

"Some kid named Brad." I told her as Maria led my to the kitchen and pressed a wet towel to my face.

"I don't think this will end up too bad, it's just a little red and puffy." Maria said to me. "Are you okay Ellie?" She added.

"Yeah, Cameron took care of them before anything happened." Ellie said.

"Jesus, that Brad is always getting into trouble, especially when a girl is involved." Tommy piped up.

"Yeah, well I broke his fucking nose so he won't bother me anymore." Ellie told them.

"Why don't you go find Joel? We are almost done setting up the party." Maria said, ushering us back out the door.

"Where do you think he is?" Ellie asked as we skirted the fence looking for Joel.

"I don't know, he could be anywhere." I said. Ellie let out a quiet sigh and brought herself closer to me. We walked in silence as the sky got darker, until we spotted Joel sitting on a log and staring at a puddle.

"Joel?" Ellie called out tentatively. He shot up and turned to look at us.

"What is it?" He asked us.

"Maria said to come and get you, they're almost done setting up the party." I explained. I watched Joel unclench his jaw and his expression softened.

"Right, let's go then." Joel said, turning on his heel and walking briskly in the direction of Tommy and Maria's house.

When we returned, there was already a myriad of people gathered in the backyard, most welcomed us and introduced themselves with their name and profession. Many people had already started drinking. Not everyone was an adult, however no one there was younger than either me or Ellie.

"Sorry Cam, drinks are for the adults only." Maria said as I reached for a drink on a table.

"C'mon! Just one?" I pleaded.

"No." She answered, taking my cup from me. Maria jumped in surprise as music started blaring from a nearby speaker. There were some cheers as people started dancing and by now, the sun had set completely.

"Well if you can't drink, do you want to dance?" Ellie asked cutely, biting her lip and grabbing my hand. I pulled her out into the yard as the song picked up the pace.

_**I want you by my side**_

_**So that I never feel alone again**_

_**They've always been so kind**_

_**But now they've brought you away from me**_

_**I hope they didn't get your mind**_

_**Your heart is too strong, anyway**_

_**We need to fetch back the time**_

_**They have stolen from us**_

I laughed as we danced, we both looked ridiculous, but we didn't care. We danced through several songs, enjoying each other's, and other people company as a few people danced with us. I had never been happier. I saw Joel standing by himself near the fence and pointed him out to Ellie.

"He needs to lighten up, huh?" Ellie said. I watched as she danced her way over to Joel and grabbed his hand. He was reluctant as the songs that were playing had changed to more slow song and people had started partnering up. Ellie pulled him into the crowd and I smiled as I watched him dance with her like a Dad and a daughter would to a slow song.

**_I want you_**

**_We can bring it on the floor_**

**_You've never danced like this before_**

**_We don't talk about it_**

**_Dancing on, do the boogie all night long_**

**_Stoned in paradise_**

**_Shouldn't talk about it_**

When the first song ended, I was approached by Maria who asked me if I wanted to dance. I looked over to Ellie and saw her dancing with Tommy. I accepted Maria's hand, unsure of what to do as I had never really danced seriously before.

"Keep your hands here." Maria instructed, placing my hands on her hips as she put her own on my shoulders. I danced with my Aunt, slowly getting used to what to do.

"I'm so happy you guys are okay." Maria said.

"Well Ellie and I are okay, I'm not sure about Joel." I admitted.

"He'll be fine, he's just not used to caring for two kids." Maria joked.

"We can take care ourselves." I said.

"I mean actually caring for you, Ellie has filled the empty spot that Joel has had ever since he lost Sarah." Maria explained. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to dance with my husband for this last song." She added.

Coldest winter for me

No sun is shining anymore

The only thing I feel is pain

Caused by absence of you

Suspense controlling my mind

I cannot find the way out of here

**_I want you by my side_**

**_So that I never feel alone again_**

A space seemed to clear as I approached Ellie. She smiled nervously at me as the last song started playing. I mirrored what I had done with Maria and placed my hands on Ellie's slim waist. I pulled her into me as we swayed to the song, enjoying the feeling of each other's embrace.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Ellie whispered.

"I do too." I told her as the song ended. By now, most people had already left as it was very late. I saw Maria and Tommy in a similar state as Ellie and I, not wanting to let go of each other. We stood in each other's arms until someone came running out the backdoor.

"It's Joel!" The man exclaimed. "He's been attacked!" I tore myself away from Ellie, a sick feeling taking hold in my stomach. I followed the man, sprinting through the house and down the road to where a group of people had gathered. I shoved my way through them.

"Joel!" I called out as I saw his form laying on the ground in a growing puddle of his own blood. Someone was kneeled next to him, trying to stop the bleeding. I threw myself to the ground next to him. He had a large wound that went through his stomach, a large hunting knife lay on the ground next to him.

"No." I heard Ellie gasp as she kneeled next to me.

"Ellie... Cameron..." I heard him sputter out.

"It's okay Joel, we're here, you're going to be fine." I said, wanting to believe myself, but I knew that it was already to late.

"I-I want you to know something." Joel said quietly.

"Joel no!" Ellie cried out, tears falling from her face.

"You were... You were like the kids I lost. Please don't forget..." He said wheezing.

"Please don't Joel!" Ellie cried.

"It's okay baby girl, Daddy is coming home soon."

"Joel?" Ellie cried, her body shaking. I didn't know what to do, I kneeled next to Joel's body, unable to move or cry. I looked up from Joel's body and saw Maria and Tommy crying as well. I turned my head, looking around the crowd, rage boiling inside me, until I saw a familiar face, Brad, smirking at the outer part of the crowd.

"You!" I yelled angrily, standing and facing Brad as a terrified look appeared on his face and he turned to run. I chased after him, easily catching up to him and tackled him to the ground. I flipped him over and he covered his face with his hands, hands that were covered with blood. I punched him in the face over and over, even after his body had gone slack.

"Stop!" Tommy commanded, pulling me off Brad's body whose face was no longer recognizable.

"He killed him!" I cried out, fighting against Tommy.

"Joel ain't dead yet, you've already done all he's wanted." Tommy said, dragging me back over to Joel.

"Did you...?" Joel asked as Tommy pushed me towards Joel.

"Yes, already avenged." I told Joel.

"Thank you." Joel coughed.

"Please don't leave us Joel!" Ellie begged, squeezing his hand.

"I'm afraid I have to, Sarah wants to see her Dad again." Joel said.

"Joel?" She pleaded.

"I love you guys, thank you for everything."

**A/N Epilogue coming soon so stay tuned for that, but for now, check out the sequel, _From Sea to Shining Sea._**


	23. Epilogue

The Two of Us - Epilogue - Endure and Survive

**"Our Home is where we are. Our place of origin is not relevant, only where we choose to go together."** **-Legion, ****_Mass Effect_**

~~~Me~~~

**_20 Years Later_**

I sat at the top of the hill overlooking the city of Jackson, Wyoming, my legs dangling over the side of the short drop to the small brook below me.

21 years ago, Joel, Ellie, and I returned here after our journey to find the fireflies, and a cure, had ended with us killing most of the remaining fireflies.

It was peaceful up here, only the sounds of water and nature finding my ears. Looking up at the shining blue sky, dotted with fluffy, lolling clouds caused memories to come flooding back to me in a wave of very emotional nostalgia.

"I thought I'd find you up here." Ellie said as she sat down beside me.

Ellie rested her head against my shoulder as she looked up at the sky with me.

"Everything is so different now." I said to Ellie after a few minutes of silence. "Sometimes I feel like we don't belong in this world."

Ellie grabbed ahold of my hand and squeezed it.

"That's because we don't." Ellie giggled. "I'm not sure we'd belong in any world."

"But at least we can be psychopaths together." I told her.

"Always."

We sat silently again, for a few short minutes before Ellie spoke up.

"What do you think Joel would think of us right now?" Ellie asked.

I looked down from the sky and towards the old tree we had buried Joel beneath.

"I think he would be real proud of us. Proud of how far the world has gone, and proud of us as parents." I told Ellie.

"I think you're right."

I picked myself up off the ground and stretched upwards, my back and joints popping into place.

"My Dad always told me that no matter, I needed to make a difference in this world." I said. "And I think I did just that."

"You surely made a difference in _my_ world." Ellie joked as I helped her off the ground.

"How about we head back and make more of a difference in our kids' life?" I asked Ellie.

Ellie smiled as we held each other's gaze, her gleaming emerald eyes captivating me.

"Okay."

**A/N Thank you all so much for reading! I am terribly sorry for how long I made you wait for this, but every time I would write out this final part, I felt like it didn't work. I rewrote this final part 16 times before I finally settled on this ending. In the meantime, I wanted to let everyone know that I'm taking awhile off while I write my next couple of series. I'm doing this because I want to update them regularly and not make you guys wait too long for them, anyway, thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys on the other side!**

**P.S. This isn't the last you'll see of Ellie and Cameron either.**


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